


A Curse and a Kiss

by shy_octopus



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Canon Compliant, Canonical Character Death, Drama & Romance, Explicit Sexual Content, F/F, F/M, Fate, Female Protagonist, Heterosexual Sex, Lesbian Sex, Metamorphmagus, Metamorphmagus Sex, Nymphadora Tonks still dies, Sibling Incest, Tragic Romance, Voyeurism, but she is the secret hero
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-16
Updated: 2017-06-16
Packaged: 2018-11-14 22:47:38
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 29
Words: 107,686
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11217840
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shy_octopus/pseuds/shy_octopus
Summary: Nymphadora Tonks had grown to accept her secret talent. But in her final year at Hogwarts, she discovers her Metamorphmagus talent extends well beyond her hair. She finds love with an American transfer student with his own painful secrets, and is thrust into a quest to save his life.Generally canon-compliant. The bulk of the story takes place in Tonks' seventh year, and all of the relationships are consensual ones among (generally of-age) students. The underage warning is for a sixteen-year-old character.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> My first fanfic, and almost my first completed story! It ballooned along the way. Apologies for any (hopefully minor) editing lapses.

Nymphadora Tonks twirled her pencil and stole a glance around the room. She'd finished early, as usual, for what it was worth. Dark Arts needed practice to Defend against, not memorized formulae. 

Professor Iselia sat seriously at the front, going over her own notes. She wasn't so bad, really, and they'd get in some real practice again next class. But Iselia was a stickler for rules, and Tonks wasn't about to get out early. 

She found herself studying Iselia's face. Their teacher was pretty young, and plenty of the blokes seemed to find her attractive. Somehow Tonks got stuck again on those full, red lips. She'd heard someone describe them as perfect for cock-sucking, a description that unsettled Tonks, as if there were some functional thing about the act she wasn't aware of, something that would take her sad, thin lips by surprise.

She was holding her breath again, half imagining she could change her own lips the way she changed her hair. Careless. She'd kept her abilities quiet all these years, just as Mother had insisted. But her discovery last week had her all out of sorts and left her wondering if she'd been missing out hugely all this time.

She was bored, tired, and now she was thinking about cocks. What was the fucking point of this new trick she'd found if she couldn't amuse herself?

She had to keep her hair fixed. Everyone assumed she used a charm to each day to produce her shockingly bright hair: a fair bit of work if it were true, but still ordinary enough.

A breath in, and hold it. Then *push*, with that tingling sense. Find the right – there. She felt something, and she knew she'd gotten her nipples hard. More than that: she'd stretched them just a little bigger than they usually were. The pink nubs pressed pleasantly against the cloth of her bra. Another measured breath, and she had them back to normal. Then enlarged and stiffened again. Back and forth, feeling a delicious little pleasure with the manipulation.

She'd heard other girls whisper knowingly about masturbating on the sly, something about squeezing their legs just so. That technique didn't seem to work for her, but now she had her own pleasant little diversion. She wasn't about to have an orgasm in the middle of class this way, but what the discovery represented – well, that might do the trick, if she thought long enough about it.

She'd never been able to do anything but her hair. Puberty had been a fun surprise, as she'd discovered it worked on hair *anywhere*. But that was the extent of it until this week, and her roommate Berella's nipples.

It wasn't that the three of them were exactly prudes. Especially Tomoko. But they generally tried to look the other way. Monday morning, though, Berella was running late for her early class, and Tonks was sleeping in as usual. She'd cracked her eyes open just in time to get a really big eyeful of Berella boob. Her roommate was taller than Tonks, and had frankly a much more impressive figure. But it was the long, hard nipples that had drawn Tonks' eye. Presumably her roommate was just cold, but who cared about the reason. 

When Tonks had finally gotten out of bed, her roommates were gone and she'd done her usual furtive routine in the bedroom mirror. Frown at her plain features and undersized boobs, and then touch up the hair. Hold her breath and *push*, embarrassingly like she was straining on the toilet. When she was a kid she'd even wet herself occasionally doing this.

She'd looked at her breasts, and wondered what it would be like to have a real woman's figure, like Berella. Even just those nipples. And to her shock, when she'd finished with her hair, something wonderful had happened.

"Time's up!" said Iselia, and Tonks started from her recollections. She turned in her exam, got a quick smile from Iselia, and then tried to slip out before any of her asshole cousins could needle her. 

Too late. 

"Hey, Nympho, wait up," called Emilia. Her cousin's nasal voice drilled into her head.

It was the only ugly thing about Emilia. Well, aside from everything behind her gorgeous face and hateful emerald eyes.

"Emilia," Tonks said. But she was too fucking distracted to manage the careless tone you needed with this viper.

"Oh, I always forget. You don't like that name, do you? But it seems so – appropriate." Two of the other Slytherins giggled lightly. "I mean, that pink hair is like a total man-trap. Even I'm feeling a bit of ... something."

Emilia gave a nasty smile, but just then Charlie walked by, and she turned it into a much more winning expression.

"Emilia! Glad I caught you," said Charlie, and then he somehow whisked her tormentor away. You could almost believe it was an accident with Charlie, the way he did shit like that. But the muscled redhead managed a quick wink back at Tonks, and she felt a rush of warmth.

Of course Charlie didn't care for Emilia. He probably didn't have any special feelings for Tonks either, but he was a solid bloke, and he noticed more than people thought. No dumb jock, Charlie Weasley. She sighed and let herself imagine that amazing body, pressing against hers …

She turned left, right, and then down to the dead-end hall. Who knew what used to be in this direction, but the important thing was an unlabeled bathroom just before the end. Maybe it had been a boys' bathroom, because there were urinals in it, but only twice had she heard someone else in there. Probably the same person: both times they'd stopped as if they were going into a stall and noticed one was occupied. And both times she'd been treated to the oddly exciting sound of a boy using a urinal while she held herself still on the toilet.

Somehow the place stayed clean even though most everyone seemed to have forgotten about it. She picked her usual stall, second from the end, and in no time was seated with her skirt and underwear down around her ankles.

Tonks took in her breath, and *pushed*. She let her bladder go, and that physical release mingled with a little sexual thrill as she watched her pubic hair lengthen and change color. Lighter brown, trimmed into a big bushy triangle above her vulva, with everywhere else bare. Genevieve's look, as best she could manage from the furtive glances she'd stolen over the last week in the dressing room outside the shower. She was getting bolder at that, ever since she realized it was the little extra thing she needed for a real fucking orgasm.

The illicit thrill of borrowing Genevieve's look already had her plenty wet. She slipped a finger inside herself and then spread her juices all around the lips, up to her clit. Merlin, she needed it fast. As she frigged herself she got that enticing double vision, as though she were masturbating another woman at the same time. Tonks grunted in pleasure as she watched the pulsing pussy of Genevieve/Tonks.

Of course it didn't really feel any different. Hair didn't have any nerve endings. But that was the other reason she was so bowled over by the thing with her nipples.

She slipped a hand up under her shirt and bra, catching a nipple between thumb and forefinger. Her nipple. She *pushed*, and the strange sensation intensified. Berella's nipple. Was this what Berella felt when she played with herself? Of course both her roommates masturbated – Tomoko wasn't even very subtle about it sometimes. Tonks rarely did it in her room, though.

Berella's nipple, then her own, back and forth. Soon she was *pushing* almost continuously, and her body got in the act too. She had an incredibly dirty notion. She'd already taken a crap that morning, but if she just relaxed a little — oh, fuck. She felt her anus convulse slightly in rhythm, and she hesitantly stretched a finger back there …

As soon as her index finger touched the rim of her asshole, she came. It was like a slap through her whole body, a thunderclap and then a great rumble. Her fingers fell away as she leaned forward and trembled, thighs squeezing hard, until it finally finished.

"Whoa," Tonks said aloud. She tried not to giggle at the sound of her own voice. That was a magnificent orgasm, one of the better ones in recent memory. She felt loose, relaxed, and more comfortable with her stupid body than she could remember in a long time. 

After she'd cleaned up, she went to look at herself in the mirror. Her hair had gotten a bit off-color at the roots, a common problem when she got distracted playing with her other hair. She fixed it with far more ease than usual, and her pussy hummed happily with the effort. Tonks knew some odd spells could be enhanced with sexual energy, and now she suddenly wondered if her own powers worked that way.

She sighed and looked again at her plain face. Button nose, nondescript brown eyes, a scattering of faint freckles, and a terribly pale complexion. Somehow less than the sum of its parts. The best anyone ever really said of her was "cute". She was eighteen, and cute really didn't cut it any more.

Tonks doubted there was a guy fantasizing about her lips wrapped around his dick. She thought about Professor Iselia's deep red lips, and imagined them closing around her nipple. Or better, Berella's nipple. Her nipples tingled, and she closed her eyes and *pushed*, feeling them against her bra. She could almost feel the full lips upon her nipples, and her own lips tingled in desire. She suddenly wished she had time for another round of masturbating.

Tonks opened her eyes and nearly fell over. Her face — no, just her lips. Iselia's lips. She opened her mouth, made half a smile, and it was for a moment like watching a stranger. She touched them with her fingers, and they were real. They even felt different. Like they wanted to suck a cock, she thought with a smile, and she opened her mouth. Maybe Charlie's cock was bigger than that. She stretched her mouth further, licked her full red lips obscenely. Everything was tingling again, and with hardly any effort she rearranged her hair to Iselia's tight black curls.

Holy fuck. If she could change just a little more, she might even pass for the professor at first glance. She rubbed lightly between her legs, and then shook her head. No more time. With some effort and no little reluctance she *pushed*. It was almost as though her body was trying to hold onto the changes, but after a minute or two she was pretty sure she had her own look back. With a shiver, she straightened and headed to her next class.


	2. Chapter 2

Tonks sighed and set aside her parchment. That was as good as her Transfigurations essay was going to get, and she had another assignment she'd barely started. It was nearing dinner, and most of the Hufflepuffs had left the common room. She was feeling even hungrier than usual this week.

She heard the Hufflepuff rhythm tapped on the door, and Caleb entered, broom under his arm and well spent from Quidditch practice. 

Tonks smiled at him, and he got that squirrelly expression on his face, turning instinctively to hide his missing arm and those scars. She wasn't offended, of course: he seemed to be shy around everyone, except occasionally his Quidditch teammates. Apparently his single arm was more than enough to terrorize opponents as a Beater, and the team had welcomed him since he and his little sister had arrived last year from America.

He hurried off towards the boys' side, probably to get in a shower before dinner. Tonks collected her materials and was about to head out for food when she heard another Hufflepuff coming in.

Tonks tried not to stare, the way she always tried not to. Kat was huge, beautiful, a physical force of a woman. Long blond hair, muscled shoulders, boobs even bigger than Berella. Captain of their Quidditch team, not that Tonks really cared about that. But Kat was smart and friendly and deserved every bit being Head Girl. She'd had a typical Tonks crush on the girl for years, the kind where she couldn't figure out if she wanted to kiss her or be her. The confusing recent discoveries about her powers weren't making any of that easier to disentangle. It was all one-sided, of course: Kat had been happily dating Gregory since last year. Probably they'd get married.

Boys were a lot easier: she dreamed about fucking them, and then she carefully did nothing about it at all. Merlin, but she was sick of being Tonks.

Kat would be making a beeline for the shower. And before she knew it, Tonks was heading to her room for her towel.

It was pathetic, but her heart was racing. She rushed into the upperclass shower room, and saw Kat's bag hanging outside a stall. Giving herself no time to think, she ran into the adjacent stall and hurriedly disrobed. She got into the shower just as she heard Kat start the water next to her.

There was a large space above the stall dividers, and Tonks had worked out just the spell for it, though she'd been too chicken to go through with it until now. She turned on her own shower, then quietly muttered the words for the refraction spell.

It was like an adjustable one-way mirror. It was clumsy and a pain to adjust, but it wasn't detectable from the other side. It could let you see around a corner, which was how Aurors typically used it in the field. Or you could use it to spy on your hot blonde classmate.

Tonks sighed as she got the temperature of the water right, and then began the tedious process of getting the spell tilted correctly. Shower wall, steam, and finally a bit of hair. To get the best view she had to move closer to the opposite wall, then into a corner.

Oh, Merlin. Kat was even more gorgeous than she'd realized. Muscled shoulders and arms, and those breasts! Oh, if only she could have a body like that. Kat moved a little and Tonks finally saw her pussy. Shaved clean. Tonks leaned against the corner and moaned softly as she *pushed*, removing her own pubic hair and letting her body relieve itself, yellow urine mixing into the shower suds.

Kat wouldn't be in there for long. Tonks awkwardly spread her legs and began to masturbate, lightly and quickly, trying to memorize every detail of Kat's body. She put one leg up to brace herself, and then sighed happily as she sank a finger into her pussy. Everything was all soapy, and suddenly she knew what she needed. She slowly slid the finger out, then back, twitching when she touched the rim. A little push, and then blossoms of pleasure radiated forward as the tip entered her anus. She moved her foot slightly for balance, and then she felt the slip begin in horrible slow motion.

She had just enough time to yank her finger out uncomfortably, but before she could brace herself her ass hit the floor, and she cried out. Her head cracked against the wall and then there was nothing.

* * *

"Tonks? Tonks!"

She blinked in confusion. There was a familiar face there, much closer than she'd ever seen it. Her head throbbed and she coughed as she inhaled water. Her shower was still on.

"Kat?" she said slowly. The face smiled in relief, and as Tonks tried to sit up a powerful arm helped her.

Kat was naked, in the shower with her. It was like a fantasy gone horribly wrong, or right. Her classmate was crouched in front of her, her massive breasts practically at eye level. Tonks had the strongest urge to take a fat pink nipple in her mouth. She blinked and looked back up. She had a moment of panic, but then she realized the refracting spell had fallen apart when she'd hit her head. 

"You OK, Tonks? How's your head? I hate these stupid slippery floors."

"Uh, yeah," said Tonks. "Was I out long? I don't think I hurt anything much except my thick skull."

Kat smiled. "No, a couple seconds. I only just jumped in here. Maybe you should go to the infirmary, though." She leaned forward for a closer look at Tonks' head, and then Tonks tilted her chin up and kissed her.

It wasn't a perfect kiss, and Merlin knew Tonks didn't have a lot of practice, but Kat didn't pull away. The powerful hand on her shoulder clenched slightly, and Tonks belatedly pulled away, wondering what the fuck she'd done.

Kat was staring at her. A strand of hair had fallen across her face, and Tonks's eyes followed it down, to where water sluiced between those magnificent breasts. Kat was stroking her shoulder absently.

"Sorry," Tonks said. "I didn't mean to do that. Thank you-"

"No, don't apologize," said Kat slowly. "You're sure you're OK?"

Tonks nodded, only wincing slightly. And then Kat kissed her, hesitantly. A hand cupped her breast, and Tonks felt her libido explode to life again. She broke the kiss, trailing her lips down wet skin until she sucked that fat nipple into her mouth, twirling her tongue the way she wished a man would do for her.

"Oh, fuck," said Kat, and Tonks felt herself gathered in those strong arms, her nose nearly mashed into the immense mound of Kat's breast. She nibbled cautiously, then more aggressively when Kat moaned in approval. Tonks reached to hold Kat's lower back, running her hands over that magnificent ass, and then she slid a hand further down, between the muscled buttocks, her fingers seeking and finding another woman's pussy for the first time. Kat grabbed her tighter, gasping, and then suddenly gripped her hand, pulling it away.

Kat sat back on her heels, across from Tonks, blinking and shaking her head.

"Oh, Tonks," she said softly. "It's just, you know, there's Gregory, and I'm totally happy with him, and I've never done anything like that with a woman! That felt wonderful, though. Can we just leave it at that?"

"Yeah," said Tonks. "Yeah. I've never done anything like that either. Uh, maybe I hit my head harder than I thought."

Kat smiled. "Sure, Tonks. Maybe. You should get it checked out anyway. Here, let me help you up."

It was so easy for Kat that Tonks felt practically levitated upright. The height difference meant she was looking at Kat's bosom again, and Kat was smiling when she stepped away towards the outer stall.

"Well, you look all right to me," she said, unable to resist a bigger grin as she looked over Tonks' body. "I'm starved and I've got to put away my things."

"I, uh, guess I'll finish taking my shower," said Tonks.

"Uh huh," said Kat. "Try to finish up before dinner's over."

Tonks felt herself blushing all over, and Kat smiled.

"You know, just because I don't think it's a good idea to do that again, that doesn't mean I won't be remembering this pretty damn well. Have a nice shower, Tonks."

Tonks managed to keep herself quiet for a little. But when Kat was gone, she attacked her clit with two fingers, rolling it between folds and swearing under her breath. She couldn't stop thinking about Kat, the feel of that breast and nipple in her mouth, and she felt herself begin to *push*, almost without meaning to. Her crotch pulsed in time with the magic, and she watched as she slowly shaped her nipples to match Kat's. She pinched one between her fingers, and felt the thrill that must have been going through Kat. If only –

She couldn't stop pushing. Her magic was swelling with her coming orgasm, and she roughly pushed her finger back into her butt. As the contractions got stronger, she could feel her breasts tingling, a warm and heavy feeling of sexual potency, and she let herself imagine even her own little breasts being desirable. Kat had touched them! She'd liked them, even though they hardly compared to her own magnificent pair …

The crest of the orgasm broke, and Tonks sighed. She never got the best orgasms in the shower, much to her annoyance. But she was hardly going to complain about this one. She gently pulled her finger clear, reached for the soap, and then blinked.

Her boobs were bigger. Not a lot, but it was pretty obvious. She'd made her boobs bigger using her own magic.

With some concentration she immediately felt the flow of power that she needed to maintain anything she changed. With her hair she hardly noticed it any more, but it was taking a lot more to keep her boobs this way. With a sigh, she stretched and relaxed her magical muscles, and in a short time her boobs and nipples were settling back to their usual size and shape.

Wow. It was fairy tale stuff to alter your body shape like that. Of course witches and wizards had come up with any number of dubious ways to accomplish something similar, and the demand for it was obvious enough given the frequency of rude adverts for various enhancements. But most of them relied on illusion more than actual transformation. The few that actually transformed flesh, like Polyjuice, tended to have downsides or just didn't work as completely as you might hope. When you took Polyjuice, the appearance was all right, but the parts of the body that diverged the most from yours didn't really pass close inspection, a fact discovered each year by another crop of crestfallen, horny students. Even worse, those bits didn't feel much of anything or work completely right.

What she could do was a different thing entirely. That nipple didn't respond the same way as her nipple. She had no reason to think she hadn't really transformed the flesh, nerves, and everything else to match Kat. If she could do that to more of her body … Merlin, she was getting wet again just thinking about it.

But she was absolutely ravenous, like she'd just had Quidditch practice herself. And in a way, maybe she had. Complex magic took a lot of energy, and it had to come from somewhere. This magic felt hard, for all that it was part of her. She'd definitely need dinner if she wanted to mess around some more.


	3. Chapter 3

"Sometimes I wish I could stay in bed with the conviction you do," said Berella. "Try for once not to start working as soon as you get up, though. It makes us all feel inadequate."

Tonks mumbled a reply, and then the room was quiet.

Saturday mornings. The best time at Hogwarts, for someone who liked peace and quiet and the occasional masturbation marathon.

Berella and Tomoko were both planning to be at Hogsmeade for most of the day, but Tonks put a locking spell on the door anyway. If one of them came back, they'd understand. They were good roommates, really. Tonks wondered why she'd never felt close to them. Another thing to add to the pile of Tonks dysfunction.

But in a specific way, she was becoming incredibly close to her roommates. Intimately close. Last night she'd been woken by Tomoko's soft moans again, and this time she'd finally had the nerve to do the silent Oculus Roboro spell as she'd practiced. In the dark, Tomoko had thrown the covers off her chest, and with her magically heightened vision Tonks had watched the way Tomoko traced broad circles over her nipples with the palm of one hand. The rest of it was unfortunately still hidden by the covers. But now Tonks had three different sets of nipples she knew well enough to form herself.

It was getting easier to transform all the time, but the hornier she was, the better. Fuck, she was horny enough already that might as well get things going with a quickie.

Five minutes later she finished grunting and sighing, and she wiped the vibrating wand end one last time through Berella's bush before cancelling the spell. 

She could feel that wonderful looseness, the ease with which her magic could flow. It was time for the real business now. She closed her eyes, and she thought about Kat.

*push*, relax, *push*. She gently explored Kat's nipples, contrasting them with her own. Back and forth, through an odd mixture in the middle. With extra effort she could maintain them that way, a kind of Franken-nipple that looked ordinary enough, but could respond to both the gentle brushing she liked and the hard tweaks that Kat craved. It was delicious, a way to heighten the doubled sense of touching someone else and herself at once. She kept her hands away from her pussy, but it was starting to ache with need.

She'd touched Kat's pussy, briefly anyway. And she'd gotten a fine look at it. Longer than hers, inner lips that stuck out a little more. Lighter pink everywhere, almost delicate-looking. And a clit that was hidden, though she'd felt the little nub on that quick exploration.

She *pushed* harder, and soon everything down there was tingling. Breathe, *push*, breathe. Like they described when you were having a baby, which seemed hilariously appropriate right now. Oh, Merlin, this was getting her hot.

Finally she opened her eyes and held up the little mirror. It all looked just right. Bare, pink, glistening, familiar and yet not. She was going to play with Kat's pussy today, and she had no idea what that would feel like. But she was already dribbling on the sheets, so it was probably going to feel fucking good.

She slid her finger lightly around the outside lips, feeling the meatier flesh, the smoother skin. She let her finger dip towards her new vagina, and it slipped in shockingly easily. Unbelievably wet, but also not quite as tight as hers? Well, it made sense. Tonks had certainly done her share of experimentation with fingers and objects, but she was still a virgin. And she doubted Kat was playing pinochle with Gregory when the two of them slipped away together.

She imagined a cock sliding inside Kat's pussy. Gregory's cock, whatever it felt like. She slipped two fingers in, and then she squeezed tight in an unexpectedly familiar way.

It was a slightly disappointing realization. She'd only truly copied the outside, what she'd been able to quickly see and feel. Even the incredible slipperiness was just her own body, excited as all fuck with the novelty. She supposed she could live with that. Time to explore the rest of it.

She pulled her fingers out and then lightly slid them higher, higher, spreading the lips by feel so she could touch her tiny, exposed clit. And then her hips bucked and she lost her sight for an instant.

"…FUCK!!" It was as though someone had punched her in the crotch.

She lay still for a minute, hands at her sides, trying to regain her breath. All right. So, all this time she'd listened to whining girls go on about how boys never learned that they were all different, all special in their own way, and they couldn't just assume … well, point for team whiner. Kat's clit, or at least her version of Kat's clit, did not want to be touched the way Tonks was used to. In fact, this was probably evidence that she really had copied things true, because she would never have thought to connect things in such an unhelpful way. Tonks had a sudden suspicion that Kat's unfortunate coming back to her senses in the shower had been partly due to her own clumsiness when she'd touched Kat that way.

No point worrying about it. And Tonks was more than ready to learn. As she tentatively renewed her explorations, she could feel the heat radiating from that little nub. Even the tiniest pull on her inner lips sent a little thrill there. She started to make a game of it: how lightly could she touch herself? It seemed even the slightest hint was enough to build her excitement.

In a half hour she was starting to sweat. Every time she thought she couldn't take any more, her pussy begged for more, and the waves of pleasure intensified. Could Kat come this way? Tonks was starting to wonder if she'd taken up Quidditch just to build up the physical stamina for an orgasm.

But maybe this was the miswiring between Kat's body and Tonks's brain. There were other things that got Tonks off, and one of them was her own magic.

Gently, with difficulty, she let go a bit of her magic. Just … ahh. She felt her clit swell to its familiar engorged self, sticking obscenely out from the delicate folds atop Kat's pussy. The juxtaposition made her shudder. She tentatively touched it, feeling a much more familiar response. And then she *pushed*, and her clit shrank and hardened into that tiny pearl of Kat's, the last bit of the transformation almost unbearable as the sensitive clit brushed past layers of skin.

She allowed her clit to relax again, and then *pushed*. Relax, *push* relax *push*. It was too many sensations, too fast. Tonks slowed down.

Shit. She could masturbate no-hands for real now. But she had two perfectly good hands, and it was high time to have a firecracker of an orgasm. She felt those fat, pink, beautiful nipples, and then she let them change to Tomoko's much darker, smaller ones. Even the areolae looked just right, and the mix of other women with her own body was starting to make her blood roar.

She had so much power. It was hardly taking any of it to keep things this way, and so of course she started thinking about Kat's boobs.

*PUSH*. She closed her eyes and bore down and then pushed some more. Her breasts ached, and she felt them heavier than ever. And when she looked at them, they were big. Almost normal-sized, which looked fucking huge to her after all these years. Topped with Kat's gorgeous, fat, nipples, just like the one she'd had in her mouth a few days ago. And still she felt the power singing through her, along with the light-headed clarity that came before her most catastrophic orgasms.

She took both nipples in her hands, rubbing and rolling them the way Kat wanted, and she breathed, and *PUSHED*, and breathed. She was starting to support the heavy breasts in her hands, perfectly shaped breasts, just like Kat's, if not quite so big. They hummed with power and she felt the vibrations through her body, the absolute bliss of a gorgeous body like the one she'd always wanted. She diverted some concentration to the rhythmic pulsations of her clit, and she knew she was almost there.

One more big *push* and she nearly had it. She felt her bladder release slightly and she didn't care. Fuck, these were huge breasts. They were ridiculously massive on her smaller frame, but right now ridiculously huge felt just right. She needed to really see, so she staggered up to the full-length mirror. She leaned against the wall, and once she had the hair right she stared at this odd beauty in the mirror. She didn't have the energy to start fucking with anything else, so she just stared at herself, at Kat's long blond hair and pink pussy and giant breasts and some other subtler features that had come along, somehow blending perfectly with Tonks' own face and frame.

She brought one hand down. With her clit most of the way back to familiar, it took only seconds for the contractions to start. She stared at herself in the mirror, watching herself fly over the edge in a way she'd never done before, and a moan ripped out of her throat. She *pushed*, and pulled her hand away from her clit, and started to cry in joy and disbelief at the burning release, an unfamiliar white-hot dot at the center of her towering climax. And she suddenly knew what this body needed, jamming two, then three fingers shallowly into Kat's pulsing opening. She'd never felt anything like this. It was the most breathtakingly erotic thing, as though she was sharing an orgasm with this woman, having sex with a goddess who was already part of her. She cried and moaned and started to wonder if it would ever end.

It did, though it faded so gradually that there was not even a sense of loss. Just the most perfect, serene satiation she'd ever had. She relaxed and felt her magic drain away gently, even her hair. Nothing but the afterglow. She smiled and looked at her own body in the mirror, and then she took a sharp breath.

It wasn't her own body. Not quite. One breast was still too big, and the nipple … she *pushed*, but no, that was wrong. She tried to relax, but she couldn't. She was getting scared, and that wasn't helping. She closed her eyes, and felt her magic, still flowing strongly, but she couldn't touch it. Had she burned something out? Was she going to be stuck this way? Not that it would have looked so terrible, if *both* of them were stuck like this, but the asymmetry was too obvious, and the real point was that something had gone wrong with her magic. This had never happened before.

Carefully, struggling with panic, she focused on her hair. With a little difficulty she set it again to its reassuring pink. She wasn't totally broken; she probably just needed a nap. Burned out after that amazing orgasm. She staggered over and fell into her sheets.

* * *

An hour later she blinked and stretched. Merlin, her bed looked and smelled like a sex bomb had gone off. She smiled and then she remembered. A quick check showed no change. Her stomach dropped.

A possible concussion she could shrug off. Magic gone wrong, though: she knew far too well she couldn't put this aside. She had to go to the infirmary and trust in Pomfrey's discretion and ability. Shakily she dressed and ran a few quick cleaning charms before she left.

She'd never told anyone about this ability. Her parents knew, of course, but Mother had insisted on secrecy, and as she'd gotten older Tonks had understood why. Half-blood, they called her. One tiny step up from Mudblood, according to her cousins. And the unfortunate truth was that unusual magical abilities were more common among those who weren't Pureblooded assholes. Her ability was as unusual as they came.

Nowadays, nasty teasing from cousins was the least of her worries. She'd been eight in the final, awful year of the Wizarding War, old enough to feel the terror. Old enough to know adults and children who'd died, or been maimed like Caleb. Old enough to understand why they had multiple escape plans, why their family might have to separate to save themselves. 

After the war had ended so suddenly, she'd known her path was to make sure it never happened again. But she'd heard the whispers recently, felt the growing smugness of the Malfoys and the Blacks and all the other assholes. She wasn't an Auror yet, wouldn't be for years in the best of cases. And she wasn't strong enough to have a giant Freak target painted on her if things turned bad.

She turned the corner and took a deep breath before opening the door to the infirmary.

It was quiet. Just a poor kid looking miserable as he awkwardly held his arm. And off to the side, to her surprise: Caleb.

He glanced away as always, but there wasn't much place to sit. A few moments later one of Pomfrey's assistants opened the inner door and beckoned to the kid.

"Oh, hello," the assistant said when she saw Tonks. "Is this an urgent matter?"

"Uh, no, not an emergency, exactly," said Tonks uncomfortably.

The assistant tried to smile in a comforting way. She wasn't very good at it.

"I'll be free again in a sec if you want to consult," she said.

"Uh, I'd rather wait for Madam Pomfrey," said Tonks.

"Of course," said the assistant. "It may be a short while." Tonks nodded and the assistant disappeared again.

Tonks looked around the waiting area. It was comfortable enough, with plants and soft colors and Caleb. But she'd always hated feeling sick, and whatever was wrong with her was worse. She was sure Caleb could tell. She was probably lumpy under her robe. She self-consciously pulled it tighter. Her foot was tapping again.

"You can go first," said Caleb softly.

She looked up at him, and he quickly looked away. But she'd caught something in his eye. Kindness and concern. It all matched the little hints of personality that she'd gotten around the edges. She wished he were less shy. 

She shook her head. He was here for a reason, too, and she didn't need to skip in line. She tried to breathe normally.

After a while Caleb spoke again.

"It's OK to be nervous. I'm scared to death half the time I'm here, but it turns out you can get used to anything. Really, you should go first. And you should trust Madam Pomfrey. She's good."

Tonks looked up, and Caleb didn't look away this time.

If anything the scars were even worse than she'd remembered, covering one cheek and spreading down along the side of his neck towards the missing arm. But she didn't mind looking at them. Merlin knew they weren't his fault, though none of the students knew exactly what dark magic had caused them back in America. Anyway, he did have kind eyes. And the more she looked at his face, the more interesting it was. A lot going on. She knew he was serious about his studies, though he was on a totally different track: Divination, of all things.

He really wanted to do this for her. She didn't need to be stubborn about it. 

"OK," she said. "Thank you, Caleb."

She wanted to ask him why he was here, why he apparently needed to come frequently. But that would be incredibly rude, of course. She could never tell him why she was there, so why should she expect that from anyone else?

Eventually Tonks heard the sound of the assistant coming again, and she stood up.

"Caleb," she said, "I'm sorry you had to get used to being afraid. And I'm glad you were here."

She could see right away she'd embarrassed him, but he nodded quickly before looking away.

Once she'd settled down in the private consulting room, Madame Pomfrey was her usual brusque, direct self.

"So, dear, what's the matter?"

"It's – uh, kind of embarrassing."

Madam Pomfrey waited for her to expand, and Tonks tried to figure out where to start. Finally Pomfrey rolled her eyes.

"Look, dear. There is nothing that could be wrong with you that will shock me, or that you need be embarrassed by. My entire role here is to get you better so you can go off and enjoy yourself until the next embarrassing thing. I have seen a lot in my decades and I don't gossip. Did you hear about the young witch who came in with a broomstick lodged in her vagina?"

Tonks coughed.

"Didn't think so. Because I don't tell stories, and maybe that one didn't happen. Though probably it did, because I have this distinct memory of the amazing way she handled flying in here, even stuck the landing just so –"

"All right! All right," said Tonks. "I'll just show you then."

Pomfrey smiled benignly as Tonks shrugged off her robe and unbuttoned her shirt. She could feel the uneven way her bra fit. With a sigh, she pulled it off.

"Hmm?" Madam Pomfrey asked. "So, what exactly is the problem?"

Tonks stared down, but it was the same as before. Her right boob was several sizes too big, the nipple lighter pink and larger than the other.

"They're — the right one is bigger."

Pomfrey nodded. "Totally normal. And you're still growing –"

"No," said Tonks. "I mean, I did this by mistake, with magic. They were almost identical this morning."

"Ah," said Pomfrey, pulling out her wand. "So, was it the Mammarius Maximus charm? Something you picked up in Knockturn Alley, or maybe some new prank from those horrible little Weasley twins?"

Tonks shook her head. "No, it was *me*. Oh, let me just show you."

She *pushed*, and soon her hair was an electric blue. Most of it. She was a little nervous.

Pomfrey's eyes went wide. "Oh, dear, that's lovely! Remarkable! What a rare gift you have. So, I take it you haven't run into this kind of problem before?" 

Pomfrey was running her wand in small patterns over Tonks's chest. Some kind of diagnostic, and it was making her breasts buzz. Her nipples hardened and she attempted to ignore it.

"No," said Tonks. "I, well, until the last week or two I never knew I could do anything but hair. I think maybe I overdid it. It was, uh, a lot bigger change than that. It didn't come back all the way."

Pomfrey smiled sympathetically even as she continued passing the wand over Tonks. Something between her legs twinged in a shocking way that made Tonks gasp.

"Sorry," said Pomfrey, setting her wand down. "All those damn nerves are connected. Anyway, I think I've got all I need: you're going to be fine. Go ahead and get dressed. Tell me, how long does the hair last if you don't consciously renew it?"

"Maybe – two nights? I'm so used to doing it every morning. It's already fading after a good sleep. I think I can't keep the energy going reliably all night."

Pomfrey nodded. "That's what I guessed. Now, you can think of what happened like a muscle cramp. It probably feels like you can't unclench whatever's wrong. But time will do its work. If two nights of good sleep isn't enough, come back and I'll give you a potion that will help. Most likely your body will work it out on its own."

Tonks nodded shakily. Merlin. Only now did she realize how truly terrified she'd been. She stood up and swayed slightly.

"Oh! Dear, have you eaten much today?"

Tonks shook her head.

"That sort of magic needs some serious fuel, dear. Here, start on this while you get yourself to a proper meal." Pomfrey was suddenly pressing several heavy bars of chocolate into her hands. 

"You're going to need it if you want to keep practicing, which no doubt you will. I'm not an expert about Metamorphmagi, but no one really is. Perhaps Professor McGonagall can give you a little more guidance."

Tonks sighed. Talking to McGonagall would lead to a whole lot more uncomfortable questions.

"Apart from that," Pomfrey continued, "I'm afraid you'll have to learn the limits to these abilities on your own. I won't tell you to be careful, because you're a smart young witch and right now you seem more afraid than you need to be. Enjoy yourself but please come to me immediately if you stumble upon some clever way to turn yourself inside out or the like."

With that Tonks found herself being bustled back to the outer room. Caleb stood up as she came in. Much taller than her, of course. Powerful. Good-looking in his own way. Fuck, she was horny again.

Suddenly conscious of her small armload of chocolate, she thrust a bar at Caleb.

"Here. I think she got over-excited."

Caleb smiled and accepted it. "I sometimes think it's a minor curse," he said. "Like, she got on a mailing list for the chocolates and now she's forced to keep getting rid of them. And no one ever sees where they come from. But they taste all right."

Tonks grinned, and Caleb smiled more widely. She kept thinking about that smile as she walked back to Hufflepuff. That, and Tomoko's boobs. They were barely bigger than her own. Surely she could play with them without so much drama.

* * *

By Sunday night Tonks was *almost* caught up with work. 

"I swear Merlin put you here to make us all look bad," said Tomoko as she walked by. "I feel behind thanks to all that carousing at Hogsmeade, and then I see you still working your ass off despite skipping out yesterday. In case you were wondering, it's well into dinner time."

"I didn't spend *all* day yesterday working," said Tonks. It sounded more defensive than she'd meant. Talking to her roommate was a little distracting after yesterday's recreation. Unfortunately she'd also confirmed that she had a shit imagination, or else her magic just didn't work that way. At minimum she needed a good hard look at the rest of Tomoko if she wanted to go on a full joy ride, and she was starting to feel like an immense pervert.

Tomoko rolled her eyes. "Whatever, Tonks. Don't get me wrong, you're brilliant and a great roommate. But I worry about you sometimes. Everyone needs time off, even you."

Tonks shook her head as Tomoko walked off. She was pretty sure Tomoko had briefly had a fling with a Ravenclaw girl last year. Maybe Tonks should just proposition her in the most direct way possible. Kind of like she'd accidentally done with Kat. What could possibly go wrong? This was just her roommate she was thinking about. "No, really, I just want your body. Once is enough, and I'll take it from there." 

She sighed and headed to dinner.

Usually she ate with her roommates and a few other people in her classes. Not close friends, but people she liked well enough. Seven years and that was about the best she'd managed. It was pretty obvious Tomoko had a point.

And there was Caleb, a little apart, eating with his sister as usual. Ruella was also Hufflepuff, two years younger, slim, and with tight black curls to her brother's straight hair. Otherwise the family resemblance was obvious and she clearly adored her brother. Well, Tonks was starting to like him as well. And there was plenty of room around them.

"Can I join you?" she asked.

Ruella immediately looked suspicious, but through his pot roast Caleb gestured a welcome.

When he'd swallowed, he gave that rare smile. "I take pot roast pretty seriously, so forgive my table manners. Life of a Beater. We're all barbarians, really."

"Oh, I take roast pretty seriously too," said Tonks. She attacked her own plate with a fury that she didn't need to fake. Even Ruella looked a bit impressed.

"You really are a Hufflepuff," said Caleb admiringly after she'd dispatched the first plate. "For a while I really wondered why you weren't Ravenclaw."

Tonks sighed. "Yeah, the Sorting Hat was kind of an ass about that. Said some mumbo jumbo about loyalty and intuition versus book smarts before eventually landing me here. I'm glad of it, don't get me wrong, but I think the Sorting Hat isn't the brightest head warmer in the closet."

Ruella giggled slightly. She was kind of cute when she did that.

"Also," said Tonks, "I used to have a pretty shitty attitude towards some of the teachers. The ones who had favorite students who belonged to a particular kind of family. If you know what I mean."

"Oh," said Caleb quietly. "I think we know what you mean."

He wasn't looking at her any more. And Ruella had gone completely closed, her face a stony facade.

A piece clicked into place for Tonks, and she kicked herself. She'd seen their father, a quiet, ordinary sort of wizard. And she'd never seen their mother, or heard anyone say a thing about her. 

"Why'd you change?" Ruella blurted out.

Tonks looked at her, confused.

"What happened to the shitty attitude?" Ruella said. "You seem pretty chummy with Snape now."

Tonks sighed. "True enough. Though believe it or not, Snape is nowhere near the worst of them. He's just mean and petty, not outright bigoted. But I changed because I have to be an Auror, and that meant taking a hard look at the path there. Small-minded professors are just stepping blocks on the way."

That seemed to impress Ruella, and her expression turned more thoughtful.

Caleb shook his head, clearly wanting to change the subject. But he suddenly seemed shy again, and Tonks was never any good with initiating small talk. To her surprise, she didn't really mind the quiet, and her companions seemed used to it.

"I've got to go," she eventually said. "Too much damned work." And she'd just seen Tomoko leave, and maybe she could catch her in the bathroom, or – Merlin, she was pathetic.

"Bye," said Caleb. Ruella gave a half wave as well. And Tonks had a full stomach and a horny itch. She gently *pushed* as she walked, and felt the glorious response as her clit moved against her knickers.


	4. Chapter 4

"Hey Ruella," said Tonks as she took her now-familiar seat. "You know where Caleb's at?" 

Actually, the lunch crowd seemed oddly sparse all over.

Ruella stared at her. "There's a match tonight. Didn't you know? They're at extra practice."

"Oh," said Tonks. She really had forgotten. She was probably the worst Quidditch fan in their House.

They ate their food together with less comfort than usual. Caleb had an instinct to avoid conflict, and he was really funny when he was comfortable. She was starting to feel a real attraction to him, more than any guy she'd known. Ruella was – well, Ruella. She didn't know exactly what the girl's problem was.

"Do you like my brother?" Ruella asked out of the blue, her tone not particularly friendly.

"Uh, yeah, I guess. What do you mean?" Tonks asked.

"Are you playing with him? Because he's a cripple?"

"What?!" Tonks stared at her. "No, Ruella that's an awful thought."

"It wouldn't be the first time," Ruella said quietly. "He likes you, it's pretty clear, but he's too sweet to ever suspect people. And I'm tired of the bullshit. It's not fair to him. None of it is fucking fair."

To her surprise, Ruella had to wipe away a tear.

"Ruella," Tonks said slowly. "I'm not really experienced with relationships. I'm awkward and single-minded and shy, but I like Caleb. More than any other guy I've met. He's funny and good-looking and kind and what more could a girl want?"

"What more," Ruella agreed. She stared off at nothing for a while.

"Tonks," she said eventually. "You probably don't know how Caleb was hurt. He never talks about it."

Tonks shook her head. Ruella sighed and continued.

"Our - our mother was Muggle-born. Brilliant, kind, and fierce the way a mother should be. She was an Auror, a really good one. Too good. The Death Eaters came for her, but they were rightfully scared of her, so it was an ambush. They didn't give a shit about two snotty kids playing in the yard when they launched that massive spell. I don't know how, but my brother felt it coming. He ran into me so hard I thought he'd broken my bones, but he pushed me totally clear. Our house disappeared in a single instant, leaving nothing but two sobbing children by the time Dad managed to Apparate in. And do you know what keeps Caleb up? That he couldn't save our mom. Eight fucking years old and he's been living with that ever since. That, and the horrible curse. He tries to hide it from me, but I know it's been getting worse. I think it's killing him."

"Oh," said Tonks. "Fuck. I'm so sorry."

"We don't need your pity," Ruella hissed. "Caleb least of all. So can you understand why I want to know if you're serious?"

"That's what I'm trying to say," said Tonks. "I'm as serious as I've ever been. For whatever that's worth from a broken shit like me."

Ruella shook her head. "We're all broken. And I don't think you're a shit. But you should come to his Quidditch game tonight. It's really important to him."

"I know," said Tonks. "I'll be there."

* * * 

The game wasn't as dull as she'd expected. It didn't make much sense, but Ruella and Tomoko were unceasingly amused to have such a neophyte to educate, and Tonks didn't mind the good-natured ribbing. 

Hufflepuff lost badly, as was to be expected given Charlie Weasley and Gryffindor's dominance the last year. But she enjoyed watching all of them. Kat was exactly as she expected, a real force of a Chaser, battering her way through to score goals. Caleb was probably the best Beater on either team, and with one vicious Bludger he even knocked Charlie completely off his broom, to cheers and gasps. Of course, the brilliant Seeker had somehow landed back *on* his broom after falling nearly fifty feet. You just couldn't compete with that shit.

When the game was over, Ruella dragged her over to the Hufflepuff players' area. They were in pretty good spirits, having done as well as could be expected. With a bit of chagrin she watched Gregory gather Kat in his arms, the two of them sharing a much more passionate kiss than anything Tonks could have hoped for. But when Kat saw Tonks, she gave a quick smile. No regrets. And then there Caleb, as happy as she'd seen him. He gave a hug to Ruella and then beamed stupidly at Tonks. So she did what seemed reasonable, and threw herself into a hug.

He grunted slightly when she hit him, and then wrapped an arm around her. His arm. Merlin, he was even stronger than Kat. Of course he was. He was solid, like a big warm animal. Apparently her brain had turned to mush. She extricated herself.

"That was great," she said. "I can't believe I've been avoiding all these games! And you were brilliant."

"Well," he said. "It's not for everyone." But Tonks could see how pleased he was by her praise. And something in the atmosphere, athletic pheromones, happy people: it was warming her from the inside. And before she knew it, she was *pushing* lightly, playing with her clit and her nipples in her usual pattern. All thanks to what she'd lifted from the big blonde woman a few paces away. Surely Kat's nipples must be burning or something.

"Tonks? Did you catch that?" Caleb smiled. "Party in an hour, after everyone gets cleaned up. Real drinks for all us adults. And Butterbeer for the rest." He pinched Ruella's nose.

Ruella stuck her tongue out. "Nine more freaking months. Seriously. You're really going to milk this for all you can."

"Sounds good," said Tonks vaguely. Her mind was already in the showers. She'd be a lot better off after she got in a good wank. And it wasn't just Kat. There was Alexa and Genevieve. But mostly Kat. And of course Caleb would be doing his own thing, but he was out of reach on the boys' side. But – wait. Wasn't this how actual people did it? They went to parties and they snogged and they went home and fucked? Her mind lurched sideways.

"Earth to Tonks," said Tomoko. "Let's go get ready to party. Looks like you scored a hot date already." She smiled, and suddenly Tonks felt a rush of affection for her roommate. Solid Hufflepuff. Open heart, no judging unless you hurt one of her friends. And apparently none of the fucking angst that Tonks was afflicted with. She impulsively threw her arms around Tomoko, who happily returned the hug. Tonks felt her nipples hardening, sliding towards lovely brown buttons to match her roommate's, and she stiffly pulled out of the hug. She was becoming a total pervert. She needed a quick release so she didn't make a fool of herself.

But Tomoko was already dragging her back to their room. 

"This is great," her roommate said. "Berella never wants to go to these things, and it's so much easier to pick someone up if you've got company. Especially if they're good-looking."

Tomoko smiled at Tonks's incredulous expression and picked up her pace. "We've gotta beat the shower rush so we have time to pick out clothes." Tonks hurried along in her wake.

As soon as Tomoko closed the door, she started stripping off her clothes. Tonks tried not to stare, but Tomoko was hardly being discreet. She was always the least prudish of the three of them, but Tonks hadn't been bitten by this voyeuristic bug the last time her roommate had done something like this.

Tonks slowly folded her robe and rummaged about in her bureau. In the corner of her eye she could almost swear Tomoko was showing off. Lots of skin in her peripheral vision.

"OK, Tonks, don't dally. I'll just head over right away."

Tonks looked over. Tomoko was holding her towel in one hand, well away from her body — her completely naked body. Tonks felt her eyes bug out slightly and she knew she'd been kind of obvious about it, but Tomoko wore a light smile. She casually brushed a hand down her front, and then wrapped the big towel around herself before exiting.

Well. Tonks had gotten her wish, and what an eyeful it was. Tomoko was a couple inches shorter than her, but a little more rounded. A perfect figure for her size, with a rounded bum and hips, beautiful light brown skin, and short jet-black hair. A match for the hair further down, which Tomoko kept cropped short in a nice narrow strip surrounding her sex. Tonks wondered what it would be like to run her fingers through that bush. Or test it with her tongue … Merlin. Maybe she really did like girls. No chance of doing that to herself. Or wait, was that right? Could she manage to make herself much more flexible? 

She sighed and shook her head. It hadn't been quite a good enough view. She'd gotten a hint of the outer lips, no more. But Tomoko was in there right now, if she hurried …

Two minutes later she was hurrying out the door, wrapped only in a towel herself. She never went out like this, but it was still pretty quiet out there, and it was a huge towel. She turned a corner and of course she stepped on the end of the towel.

A mousy fourth-year stared down the hall at her as she pulled herself off the floor and reassembled her towel. Tonks looked up and glared, and the poor girl turned and fled. Shit. Was she really that scary?

There were already a couple towels and bags hanging outside shower stalls. Tonks was could feel a throbbing pain from the knee she'd bumped, and she felt suddenly foolish about squeezing in some spying. She picked a stall that didn't have anyone next to it.

Just as she undid her towel, she heard the water start next to her. Oh. Tomoko would have taken her towel in, just as Tonks had. She supposed it couldn't really hurt …

She'd done this a handful of times now, and she was getting faster with the spell. It had mostly been Kat, though of course never anything as memorable as the first time. Once she'd caught Genevieve instead by mistake, but really she couldn't complain about that evening either. 

As she adjusted the water temperature she casted the initial spell quietly. She assumed the best position, and then began the tedious adjustments.

It was Tomoko all right. And she could see Tomoko better than she'd expected, because the girl was leaning back against the far wall and quickly running her fingers between her legs.

Tonks's jaw dropped. Had Tomoko gotten off on showing herself off earlier? Was she just free-floating horny like Tonks? Who cared, really. Tonks silently cast the Oculus Roboro, and blinked at the brighter, sharper view. And then she *pushed*. 

It was easy to adjust her pubic hair just right. And as Tomoko shifted slightly, Tonks began to fill in the rest. Fat, dark outer labia outlining a vulva not so different from her own. Darker color everywhere, maybe a slightly smaller clit. Did Tonks have a big clit? She'd never really thought about that, but she hadn't seen a girl with a bigger one yet. She probably hadn't seen enough yet.

Tonks smiled at that thought, and then she started copying exactly what Tomoko did. The girl should know herself, after all.

It was good. Lighter and faster than how she would do it, but Tomoko's borrowed pussy and her body were responding just fine. Tomoko seemed well ahead of her, though. Her roommate put a fist in her mouth to muffle any sounds as her legs started quivering. Tonks reached to the shelf where she'd set her wand, and did it the magical way. Neither of them needed to be perfect, with all the water going. Unless there was another spying woman out there with amplified hearing … Tonks smiled, and then she sighed as her rhythm clicked in better.

Tomoko was washing quickly now, finishing her shower to get back to the room. Tonks should be fast about it too. But she seemed to have hit a plateau of sorts. She started to experiment, mixing in a bit of Kat's clitoris, growing her boobs slightly. Crap. It was the time pressure. She never did so great once she got nervous. And she'd already learned to be wary of her magic when she couldn't relax.

Tomoko had left, and she heard other people coming into the shower area. Reluctantly she finished up washing. She heard something in the neighboring stall, and instinctively looked up in time to catch a flash of red hair. Fuck, it was Alexa and this would be a great chance. But no, she should go meet Tomoko. There would be time. And later, there would be Caleb, and who knew what might happen.

She wrapped the damp towel around herself, made sure she was back to normal, and slipped out of her stall. And right in front of her was Kat, similarly draped in a rather smaller towel. It hung off her bosom in an absolutely mesmerizing way. Maybe when boobs got big enough they gained independent magical powers.

"Hey," said Kat. "Thanks for coming to the game. You going to the party?"

"Yeah," said Tonks, trying to be casual. "And you guys were great. Awesome to see you in action."

"Well, of course we got whipped. But it was fun all the same. See you soon, then."

Tonks turned to go, but a motion caught her eye. Kat had pulled the towel off on her way in. She turned back and favored Tonks with a big grin before closing the door.

Tonks smiled herself and headed back to the room.

"Hey," said Tomoko as she came in. Her roommate had some skimpy underwear on and was going through the closet. "You know what you're wearing?"

Tonks didn't have much choice there, not like Tomoko anyway. She had a couple nice dresses from a few dances she'd gone to in years past. She was a little too big for most of them. Too tall, anyway. Not like she'd filled out much otherwise.

Tomoko always looked great. Tonks should just ask for help. Other people did that all the time.

"Uh, actually," she said. "I've got some things but I'm terrible at this stuff. Do you think you could give me some quick advice when you're set?"

"Oh! I'd love to," said Tomoko enthusiastically. In no time Tomoko had picked out a dress for herself, holding it in front of her. Then she looked down and quickly took off her bra before slithering into the thing.

In response to Tonks' shocked look, Tomoko laughed. "Oh, there are some real benefits of being small up top. Some of these just work better without. With others I might not wear knickers either.

Tonks knew she was turning red, and Tomoko took pity. "Sorry, I know you're more shy than me. My social life isn't exactly humming right now and I guess I'm letting off a little frustration. I can't wait to dance."

"Seriously, though," said Tomoko. "You should wear some fun underwear at least. Got any good stuff?"

"Not especially," said Tonks. "Never seemed much point with my social life."

"What? No, that's the wrong way around. You should wear this stuff for yourself. Because it's nice to feel sexy. Who cares what some other guy thinks. Or girl."

Tonks looked away uncomfortably. She was so fucking horny, and she couldn't stop thinking about what Tomoko had been doing with herself.

Her roommate sighed. "Sorry for being so pushy. But if you feel like it you can raid my drawer.  
You could probably fit most of mine." 

Tonks took a deep breath. Tomoko was trying to build something nice between them. She didn't have to run away from it.

Tomoko finished zipping her dress, a sparkly deep green thing that hugged her body like it was alive. Tonks was pretty sure she could see Tomoko's nipples poking through the fabric. She swallowed.

"You look fantastic, Tomoko," she said. "Could you – pick out some underwear for me? Whatever you think would look good. I'll tell you if it's not going to work."

The other girl beamed at her. "Thanks! And I'd love to do that. I never get to play dress-up. I have some things that will make you feel like a totally different woman. In a good way." She jumped over to her drawer and began to rummage through it. Shortly she pulled out a matched set of electric blue. 

It was impossibly skimpy. But who was going to see it anyway? And if by some circumstance someone else did, she'd already have made it past the hard part. Tomoko was right. She reached out her hand to take the things, and Tomoko politely turned her back.

No getting around it: Tomoko was small, but she still had bigger boobs than Tonks. She wasn't sure how well the top was going to fit. Though maybe –

She had more than enough excess horniness to channel. She quickly glanced back, but Tomoko was being perfectly respectful.

A few seconds later, she felt that little extra heaviness in her breasts. Not enough to be surprising to other people. But just enough to match Tomoko. Maybe to catch a little more attention. Not exactly competition with Kat, but that was hardly the point.

She stepped into the panties, and then quickly dropped her towel before getting the bra on. It was a skimpy push-up thing, but somehow everything stayed put when she let go. She wasn't entirely convinced dark magic wasn't involved. And her breasts looked kind of good. In fact, she was pretty sure she could make them just a little bigger again.

A few more tries, and she was pretty sure she'd hit the limit of the bra, not to mention plausibility. But of course she was the only one who knew the truth. And she felt good. Hot. This was just another kind of putting clothes on.

"OK, I'm decent," she said, and turned around. Tomoko turned to meet her, and the look on her face was priceless.

"Holy fuck, Tonks," she said. "You look stunning. And where have you been hiding those amazing tits? You should show off more."

Tonks blushed deeply, the kind that went down her chest. 

Tomoko kept looking at her, and then shook her head. "Sorry, Tonks. I shouldn't stare. But you really do look amazing. Just take a look."

Tonks turned to look in the mirror and stared at the sexy woman looking back at her. The blue underwear was an arresting contrast to her pink hair. Her boobs looked massive, though of course half of that was the underwear. But it was more than that. Tonks liked her body this way, and it showed.

She caught Tomoko looking at her in the mirror, and for once her roommate looked a little embarrassed. If only she knew, thought Tonks. Turnabout was definitely fair.

"OK," said Tomoko. "That underwear is officially yours. It never worked that well for me but you're obviously born for it. Well, I guess the hair is the other part of it, but I could never get mine to stay colored so perfectly. You'll have to show me the spell sometime."

Tonks waved vaguely. "Uh, thanks. But I probably need something on top of this for the party."

"Hah! I can only imagine what would happen if you walked in that way. Fainting couches for all the guys and half the girls." Tomoko smiled at the thought before she waltzed right over to manhandle Tonks' outfits.

"Hmm," Tomoko said. It wasn't a promising sound. 

Eventually her roommate pulled out a low-cut charcoal gray dress. It was actually Tonks' old favorite, one she'd worn to the end-of-year dance way back in her third year. Her father of all people had picked it out for her, with the help of some of his Muggle work colleagues. Apparently it was very fashionable at the time. But she was six inches taller now.

"That's too small," she said. "I haven't worn it in years."

"Try it on," Tomoko said. "You know, this isn't a school dance with teachers looking at us disapprovingly. This is a Hufflepuff party. I somehow doubt anyone will mind if it's a little tight. And fuck them anyway, as long as you feel good wearing it."

What the hell, thought Tonks as she accepted the thing. Of course, it was no picnic to get into. It bunched up in places and stretched across her chest in a way totally unlike the last time she'd worn it. She was starting to wonder if she'd have been better off borrowing something of Tomoko's. But Tomoko kept fussing about, fixing things up a little here and there with her wand, using some practical clothes magic that Tonks had never bothered to learn. 

Finally she stared at herself in the mirror. Her underwear wasn't showing, though it felt like a close call on all accounts. The dress was understated, but somehow that just made everything more obvious. The plunging front disappeared into cleavage that Tonks could scarcely believe. Dark magic for sure, even considering her augmentations. She'd put on the fishnet stockings someone had given her in last year's Secret House Elf. And if she didn't sit exactly right, she'd give everyone a hell of a view.

"This is ridiculous," she said as she looked. 

"Ridiculously hot," said Tomoko. "You should let yourself be someone else for the night. Maybe you'll find you like that person."

Tonks nodded slowly. That was something she understood well enough. And in the end, she didn't have the energy to find anything else to wear.

"Fuck it. I'm starved," she said. "Let's just go."

Tomoko laughed out loud. "That's the spirit. Let's go break some hearts."

"Tomoko," she said as they walked out. "Thank you. I'd never have had the nerve to do this."

"Eh, that's what friends are for, right? And I haven't had this much fun in forever."

They heard the thumping of music well before they arrived. When they opened the doors to the common room, it was an assault to the senses. Deep pounding bass, people practically yelling to be heard above it. Odd spices mixed with the usual earthy scent of the room, not to mention a considerable whiff of sweaty Hufflepuff. Little pulsing globes drifted around the low ceiling, giving off a dim and uneven light. It was overpowering. Tonks had always avoided this kind of thing. She felt naked, as though everyone were already staring at her, rather than just one nervous fourth-year by the door.

"Isn't it awesome?" Tomoko pulled her right inside, and Tonks muttered thanks when she realized they were aiming for the buffet. She took a plate and loaded it up right away.

"Damn, you weren't kidding," said Tomoko as she watched Tonks demolish the plate and then fill it up again. "You sure you weren't out playing Quidditch too?"

"I have this crazy metabolism sometimes," Tonks said between mouthfuls. "It's fine as long as I keep feeding it."

Professor Sprout had obviously been at the punch for a while already, and she seemed to be treating one of the potted plants to a cup as she talked to it. Sprout's legendary lack of oversight was one of the great perks of being Hufflepuff.

"Hey Tomoko," said a guy from behind them. She turned and looked up to see Gregory. No surprise that Kat had fallen for the tallest guy in the house.

"…Tonks?" Gregory was staring down at her, unavoidably looking straight into her cleavage. Tonks gave her best don't-give-a-fuck smile while she tried not to drop her plate.

"Yeah, she finally decided to come," said Tomoko. "Doesn't she look great?"

Gregory blinked a few times, then smiled and nodded emphatically. "You look wonderful, Tonks. Glad you came." He quickly slid away into the crowd, navigating deftly among the shorter students.

"Hah! Wonderful, my ass. More like devastatingly, disturbingly sexy. Gregory just ran away from your cleavage. Isn't it something to have that power?"

Tonks shook her head, but she couldn't help but smile. Merlin, she almost felt like a normal witch for once. Why hadn't she done this before?

She made another little cracker-and-cheese sandwich, and immediately dropped half of it down her front. Her boobs obligingly began to mash the food, and she felt the crumbs settling into her bra.

She looked around in horror, but no one seemed to have noticed. A quick probe with her finger — nope, out of reach.

"What's wrong?" Tomoko asked.

"I can't believe it," said Tonks. "Not even five minutes and I drop crackers down my front. I'm not used to clothes like this. I'll have to hit the bathroom."  
bg  
"Oh! I hate that," said Tomoko. "You want me to come help?"

"No," said Tonks. "Twenty seconds with my wand will do it, but it seems a little rude in public."

Tomoko started to giggle. "Tonks and her magic cornucopia bosom."

Tonks knew she was attracting attention as she wove through the room. It was flattering, of course. But it felt totally unearned. These weren't even her real boobs. She breathed a sigh of relief when she closed the bathroom stall door.

She extricated her wand from the long, skinny purse thing. 

"Wingardium Leviosa," she said, trying not to chuckle. This had to be the funniest use of that spell yet.

Some bits of cracker and most of the cheese came floating up. She resisted the urge to eat them. There was plenty more at the buffet. Unfortunately there were still plenty of crumbs stuck everywhere. A few mild cleaning spells got some of them out, but there was one poking distractingly into her nipple now. She could pull the dress down, but she really didn't want to disassemble the spells Tomoko had so carefully arranged.

She needed a little more space, just for a moment. She closed her eyes, and carefully let her breasts back down a few sizes. Her front gaped alarmingly, but she was pretty sure she could reverse it. Quickly she ran through a few more cleaning spells, finally reaching in to wipe her nipples clean. Fuck. She was so sensitive right now. All this magic, and she'd never gotten that orgasm.

She closed her eyes and *pushed*, and felt a little discomfort. She might as well take a piss while she was here. Lucky she had such a fucking short dress on.

She sat on the toilet and let herself go as she carefully adjusted her boobs. There. That seemed about right. She went to wipe herself, and had to close her mouth against a moan. She was insanely horny. But just then, someone else opened the bathroom door. This wasn't the right place.

She stood up and reassembled. It seemed all right, though maybe not as perfect as before. Still looking fine. She took one last look in the mirror, smiled at the pretty woman, and headed back out.

The noise and smell and heat wafted over her again, but this time it was more familiar. She was Tonks, but she was also this creature who could rock a little dress. A handsome sixth-year smiled at her, and she smiled back.

"Tonks! Hey." She turned at the shoulder tap and found herself looking at a familiar, massive chest. Kat hadn't displayed herself nearly so brazenly as Tonks, but then she hardly needed to. A simple sleeveless dress was all she needed to turn every head.

"Whoa." Kat looked at her and blinked. "Uh, wow. That is a hell of a – dress you're wearing, Tonks. You look beautiful. I'm glad you came." Kat's eyes skipped down again, and she shook her head. "Damn. Like I said. Well done having the courage to dress like you mean it." She smiled and wandered off.

Of course, Tonks realized. Kat knew perfectly well what her actual body looked like, so she must really believe underwear dark magic or maybe some outright illusion was involved in the cleavage.

"Goodness, is that Nymphadora Tonks?" There was a small giggle, and Tonks turned to face her least favorite Hufflepuff.

Georgia was too dumb to be a Ravenclaw, too incompetent to be a Slytherin, and too weak to be a Gryffindor. Sometimes Tonks thought the fucking Hat considered Hufflepuff to be the remainder bin of the Houses.

Georgia had a kind of stubbornness, though, and it wasn't a good idea to ignore her. 

"Hey, Georgia. Looking good," said Tonks. Actually, Georgia did look pretty good. That hair thing distracted you from noticing her beady eyes.

Georgia looked suspicious but accepted the compliment as her due. But she wasn't done.

"That – outfit! Who'd have thought to see Nymphadora wearing something like that?" Georgia always talked too loud, and it seemed she'd already had some booze tonight. She stepped much too close, and Tonks tried to back off, but she just bumped into someone.

"Those can't be real …" muttered Georgia. Tonks tried to be charitable. Surely Georgia thought she had kept that inside her own head. It didn't help that the witch was right. But then Georgia reached out and actually *poked* her, hard. Then for good measure, she did the other boob, almost on her nipple. Tonks was so shocked she didn't even know what to do.

"What the fuck? Georgia, go find a woman who actually wants you for some reason."

Georgia gasped and glared at the newcomer, Ruella. But maybe she saw the look in Ruella's eyes, or maybe she finally realized she'd drunk too much too fast. She turned and wobbled off towards the loo.

"Thanks, Ruella," Tonks said. "Be careful of Georgia, though. She's kind of vicious in her own way. Amazing nurser of grudges and better with magic than she has any right to be."

"Whatever," Ruella said. "She doesn't scare me."

Tonks smiled sadly. Ruella wanted to be a protector, all right. They were all shaped by their pasts.

Ruella wore the kind of thing Tonks would have worn if she hadn't had such a persuasive roommate. Not particularly fancy. Just a dress. But she had a flush of happiness hiding underneath her scowl. Ruella might not be the most sociable witch, but she seemed to like being around people, and there was a kind of anonymity when you put enough of them together. Tonks suspected she'd managed to down some real booze.

"C'mon," said Ruella. "Caleb is hiding over by the window. He doesn't do so great in big groups. Except on the Quidditch field. But you saw that already. He was so good. Fuck, do you think he'll know that I had an actual beer?"

"Nah," said Tonks, trying not to laugh. "You're just having a great time and drank your Butterbeer too fast. I'll back you on that."

"Thanks," Ruella said, and she broke out in that disarming smile. "Oh, Tonks, you look so amazing. I almost didn't recognize you, except for the hair. But that's part of it all. Caleb can't stop staring. Hell, I can't stop staring. I wish I had a body like yours."

"You should get a consult from my roommate Tomoko," Tonks said, lowering her voice. "I borrowed her underwear and I swear there's dark magic involved."

She was rewarded with a true laugh. But Tonks was already looking ahead at Caleb.

He looked great. A dull red shirt with no left sleeve, but the right sleeve stretching tight around his powerful muscles. Some kind of vest that must have had magical properties, because it didn't seem to reflect quite the same light that was in the room. Shiny, tight trousers, and a glowing buckle. It didn't exactly match the kind of stuff most of them were wearing, but neither did Caleb. And the overall effect really caught her eye.

"Nice to see you Caleb. I love your outfit," said Tonks.

Caleb blinked at her.

"Stop drooling, bro," said Ruella, and was rewarded with a dirty look.

"Sorry, Tonks," he said. "You look so amazing. I - well, I don't think I'm the only one staring. I'm so glad you came."

"Me too," she said. "Now, could you escort me to the buffet? I need more food."

"Gladly," he said, gently taking her arm. But she could feel his nervousness, and she suddenly wanted to put him at ease. She leaned to whisper in his ear.

"The truth is I just came back from the loo because I dropped cheese and crackers down my bosom. Tomoko set me up like this and I keep worrying everything's going to fly out."

Caleb coughed so hard they had to stop for a second. Maybe that was a little too honest. It took her a minute to realize he was trying not to laugh.

"That … would be most unfortunate," he managed, before he lost it. But he kept his eyes admirably away from the objects of discussion.

"It's OK," Tonks muttered. "You should stare at them like everyone else. That's why I dressed this way. I think. Though Tomoko made it sound very empowering."

"Sounds like her," said Caleb. And then he boldly ventured a glance down. For a moment he had the same baffled look that Kat had worn. Tonks started to blush. Of course, anyone who'd really been looking at her for a while would be able to see there was something extra going on down there, hard to explain even with a magic bra. But she hadn't thought anyone was looking at her that way.

"Damn," he said. "I – well, I'm glad Tomoko egged you into it. I'm sorry, though, the crackers, and the whole flying out bit. I might be a little, uh, distractible tonight."

"No more than me," said Tonks, sighing happily as she snagged a chicken skewer. "Merlin, I'm hungry. And so horny."

And then she immediately dropped her chicken. On the floor this time at least.

Even before she could react, Caleb had dropped down to pick it up for her. Incredibly agile, really, for all his bulk. But he was an athlete after all. She smiled and continued to ignore what she'd just said. Caleb looked up, and she realized in that instant that he could see right up her short dress, to that insane electric blue underwear. If she was in luck maybe he wouldn't see the damp spot. Caleb quickly looked away and stood up.

"Well, I don't think that chicken's spiced quite right any more." Caleb made a perfect shot into the trash can, to a bit of applause. "Let's get you another plate of it, then."

Tonks found herself sitting in a dim corner with Caleb, stuffing chicken into her face. He was watching her with a look of mild concern. She realized she hadn't said anything in a while. Her boobs were so heavy, and it was taking more and more of her concentration to keep them just right. It was like trying to hold your arm steady when you were tense. She had the energy, particularly if she kept stuffing herself with food. But she was starting to get terrified that she'd fuck it up in either direction. Deflate like a water balloon, or pop out for real, her chest expanding to nightmarish proportions.

"Did I really say out loud what I think I did?"

Caleb blinked. "What? That you wanted more chicken? I hope we got you enough." He smiled weakly.

She shook her head. "I like you, Caleb, a lot, so I mean it as a compliment when I say you're a shitty liar."

"Well, you did say the thing about chicken," Caleb sighed. "Merlin, I hope you're not worried you offended me or anything. I thought it was charming. No, sorry, that sounds condescending. Tonks, you're incredibly hot. I'm just nervous as hell sitting here with you. It made me feel better in a way to realize you were nervous too."

"And horny," said Tonks. 

"Hard to forget that part," said Caleb. He tried to smile. "Why do you think I've got this empty plate sitting on my lap? You weren't the only one who made a dangerous wardrobe choice."

Tonks looked. She couldn't help it. But of course, he had the plate there just as he'd said. Her body was buzzing. Fuck, she was *pushing* on her clit a little without even meaning to. She closed her eyes took a breath, trying to calm down. He was so close she could smell him. A deep, earthy scent, like Hufflepuff itself. But he could just as easily have been a Gryffindor, saving his sister like that. She'd never met anyone braver. She opened her eyes and kissed him.

He tasted of beer. Probably he'd been drinking to calm his nerves. He was just a little scratchy, and his lips were so firm against hers. She leaning into him, kept expecting one of them to pull away, but they didn't, and her body was starting to sing. She wanted to rip his clothes right off, but she just stroked his back gently even as her body boiled. It was so hard to keep everything straight. She carefully set her nipples back. This was her moment, not Tomoko's. Or wait, were those Genevieve's? Her clit pulsed, and she inhaled sharply, feeling the slick fabric where it pressed against the hood covering Kat's tiny clit …

She pulled away and took a ragged breath. Her boobs had shrunk slightly, and she quickly adjusted them. There. Everything was all right. Caleb was staring at her, eyes glazed, a stupid smile starting. And then he squinted.

"Tonks … your hair," he said softly.

The words struck her like a blow. She'd fucked up. Caleb would find out she was a freak. No, no, calm down, Tonks.

"Oh? Yeah, that charm isn't a hundred percent reliable. Here, let me run off and fix it …"

Her voice sounded false even to her. And Caleb gently but firmly took her hand.

"Tonks," he said, almost too soft to hear. "It's OK. I know it's not a charm."

"Wh … what are you talking about?" 

"I would never tell anyone," he said. "Tonks, it's dark here. The color's only a little off, at the roots. Why don't you just fix it? Maybe that's better than running past everyone else. But you should do whatever seems least uncomfortable. You don't have to explain."

Tonks tried to breathe. Caleb knew. It was impossible. No one knew, not even her roommates. She'd been so careful. But that wasn't quite right: Pomfrey knew now. Had he eavesdropped somehow, that day? It didn't seem possible. Could she trust Caleb to keep her secret the way she did Pomfrey?

Of course she could. Caleb was Hufflepuff to the core. He would swear a magical binding on the spot if she wanted, which of course she didn't.

Her eyes darted nervously around. No one was paying them any attention, but she still couldn't look at him. This was too personal.

"Could you close your eyes?" she asked. And she knew he'd done it.

She breathed, and breathed, and finally she could relax enough to do the simplest thing, the thing she'd done since before she knew what she was doing. But of course she was good at it now. Really good. And she knew that she'd gotten it just right, the way she always did. But in her nervousness she couldn't keep her focus on everything else. She felt longer hair tickling between her legs, and then something twitched in her bosom, causing her dress to shift alarmingly. It was all coming apart, and she'd fucked everything up. 

She stood up quickly and almost lost the front of her dress. Her chair clattered to the floor. A few people were staring, and she grabbed her dress protectively. Caleb still had his eyes closed.

"Sorry Caleb, I'm so sorry," she managed, before she ran.

Of course, she couldn't really run in the crowded room, but she did her best. She bumped into people, occasioning grumbles and stares and a few queries about whether she was OK. She waved them all off and kept moving, *pushing* desperately all the while, and soon she got her breasts back to about the right size for the outfit. But most of Tomoko's careful work had come undone, and she had to keep one hand there, not trusting things to stay put. Finally she reached the door, bursting out into the quiet, cool corridor.

Only then did the true disaster of the night start to sink in. All that physical awkwardness, well, she'd spent her life getting resigned to it. But she'd ditched Caleb, right when things seemed to be going well. It was all her own fault, trying to impress him and everyone with this body that wasn't hers. She was that girl from Dad's stories, Cinderella. At least she hadn't left her bra behind, not that it would matter when her prince came calling, because it didn't truly fit anyway.

And she couldn't explain any of that to Caleb, or to anyone. He knew her secret somehow, and surely that meant she should be able to trust him. Instead for some reason it made her feel even worse. Someone finally knew, someone nice, someone handsome, and even then she couldn't let herself get close. She was pathetic.

She heard someone at the door behind her and she quickly ran off, heart pounding. She would go to her room, crawl into bed, and hope no one ever talked about this night again.

* * *

There was a little knock at the door. Tonks slid further under her blanket and willed them to go away. But after a bit the door opened.

"Tonks?" 

Tomoko's voice. Her roommate closed the door behind her, and Tonks lay still. But that was dumb. Of course Tomoko knew she was in there.

"I don't want to talk about it," she said.

"OK," said Tomoko. "You don't have to. But I wanted to make sure you were safe. And I brought you some food. Caleb said you were probably still hungry."

Tonks was starting to cry. It was so pathetic. And Tomoko was really trying to help.

"Tomoko, go have fun," she managed. "I'll be all right eventually. And thank you so much, for earlier. Whatever else, I really enjoyed the dressing up."

"Me too," said Tomoko. "I guess I'll leave you be, then. Oh, Merlin, I know it's none of my business, but whatever happened, Caleb really likes you."

Tonks didn't reply, and shortly Tomoko left.

With some discomfort, she uncurled herself. She hadn't even undressed, just kicked her shoes off. The stockings were bunching uncomfortably. She'd managed to calm down enough to let everything settle back to her usual self, but it just made her acutely aware of the way she didn't fill out the dress any more. She made sure of a locking spell, and then pulled everything off, dropping the clothes in a pile and studiously avoiding the plain girl in the mirror.

She felt a little better in her familiar pajamas. Devouring the plate of food helped more, but she still felt like shit.

Someone banged loudly on her door. Not a roommate, for sure.

"Tonks! I know you're in there. Let me in or I'll just break in anyway."

Ruella. Pretty much the last person she wanted to face right now. But she didn't feel much like fending off a magical siege either. Tonks didn't go around boasting, but she knew she was as dangerous as any wizard or witch in the school. And she'd spent the last couple years learning to be smarter and avoid unnecessary fights.

She picked up her wand just long enough to unlock the door, and Ruella came barging in. The girl had her own wand out, and little wisps of power crackled from it. She hadn't been making an idle threat.

"What the fuck was that?" Ruella hissed. "Do you have any idea what you did to him? I thought you were different, but you're just another heartless bitch. That's what I get, trying to think the best of people like my brother does."

Tonks shook her head, staring at the floor. "I have some idea. I feel like a total shit, Ruella. I'm so sorry."

"Apologize to him, then!" Ruella's wand brightened dangerously as she waved it. 

"Ruella, your wand …" Tonks said, quickly running through a list of wandless spells – no, she'd be better just jumping to the side.

Ruella looked at her hand, and then dropped her wand like it was on fire, which it almost was. It went dark and harmless as soon as she let go.

"Shit, Tonks, I didn't mean – I wasn't going to hurt you."

It wasn't exactly the right time to deliver a wand safety lecture. 

"I know you weren't," Tonks said, gesturing to the chair. Ruella flopped down in it, looking deflated.

Tonks closed the door and sat on her bed across from Ruella.

"What happened, Tonks? You looked so happy together. I was dancing with some cute sixth-year and for once not worrying whether Caleb was enjoying himself, and then I saw you shoving your way out and Caleb looking miserable. What the hell happened?"

Tonks sighed. "I can't explain it. It's all my own issues. It seems I'm not really relationship material, and I feel awful I didn't realize that."

Ruella stared at her. "What the fuck are you talking about? You're brilliant. Everyone knows you're the smartest witch in school, and a genius at magic. Yet only the assholes seem to dislike you, so you must be nice enough. Merlin, I know you well enough now to judge that. And you're beautiful, even if you're usually dressing to hide that. I think most of the guys were jealous of Caleb, and do you know how rare that is for him? So what's your problem?"

Tonks couldn't give her any reply.

"And the other thing," Ruella said. "Somehow Caleb's convinced that he's the one with a problem, that he fucked everything up with something he said. But he won't tell me anything either."

Tonks looked gloomily at her knees. "It's personal. I'm sorry, Ruella. I'll find a way to talk to Caleb and convince him it's not his fault."

Eventually Ruella left, calmer if no more satisfied. Tonks crawled back under the covers and tried to sleep. But the worst of it was she was still horny. Caleb had been horny, too. They could have – who knows. The evening might have turned out so differently, if she weren't Tonks.

She got her wand vibrating, and it didn't take her very long to come. It was barely adequate, her brain not into it at all. She couldn't muster the energy for anything else, though. A fitting end to a shitty day.


	5. Chapter 5

She avoided him. She avoided everyone, really, but that was so depressingly similar to her normal social pattern that it hardly took any effort. She'd been letting her work slip a little anyway, and work was always a good distraction.

The worst of it was her powers. Every time she tried much of anything, the panic would set it, the fear that she'd be unable to control it, or that someone would walk in on her. She was back to playing with her hair, and even that was harder than it should have been. She was frustrated in every possible sense. She hadn't realized how often she'd been casually getting herself aroused, and she missed it. Being trapped in her ordinary body suddenly gave her claustrophobia.

She stretched out on the couch in the common room. Another quiet Saturday. Not nearly so fun as the last couple, though. 

"Tonks?" She nearly jumped. She could have sworn she was alone, but somehow Caleb had snuck up on her. Now that she thought about it, he often seemed able to do that. So light on his feet for a big guy. 

She was avoiding thinking about him.

"Hi, Caleb," she said. Merlin, he looked even more nervous than she felt. She rushed to get it over with. "I'm so sorry. I was such an ass. Ruella said you were blaming yourself, and that's not fair at all. It's me. I was the one who had to run away. But I always do that. I should have known."

Caleb chewed his lip nervously. She wasn't sure he'd even processed what she said. He looked about to say something, then stopped. Tonks waited.

"I need to show you something," he said. He pulled out his wand and cast a bluntly powerful privacy spell. "I have my own secret. Secrets. It terrifies me to think of someone finding out, just the way it must have terrified you when I blurted out that I knew yours. I can't believe I did that. I didn't mean to find out, Tonks, and I mean it. I would never, ever tell anyone."

"I know," Tonks said, and she took hold of his hand. His was cold, and he gripped her almost uncomfortably tight. He was so strong. "Caleb, you don't owe me any secrets. This isn't some kind of exchange. I like you a lot, and I still can't let you get close to me. If I can't do it with you, I can't do it with anyone. Maybe that will change sometime, but for now – oh, fuck, Caleb, I wish this could work. Half of me just wants to go for the physical piece of it and screw the rest. I mean, if you're still interested. But the problem is I'm pretty sure that wouldn't work either, not with me wanting so much more than that."

Caleb breathed out a long sigh.

"How do you do that?" he asked. "I've been working up my courage all week and suddenly you just put me at ease. I spent ten minutes trying to decide whether to approach you just now."

"Wait, you were in here that long? How the hell do you do that anyway? If I'm going to be an Auror I have to be able to do sneaky, but – well. You've seen me in action."

Caleb looked suddenly nervous again.

"That's – that's related to what I wanted to tell you." Tonks started to object, but he pushed on. "Tonks, I recognized what you were doing because I have a weird talent, too. Nothing like yours. But I get it. What it's like to hide, but needing to use it, and how isolating it all is. Even Ruella doesn't know."

"So – you're naturally super-sneaky? Can you go invisible or something? Wow, that would be awesome. I have dreams about that sometimes, where I can …. Shit, I'm going to shut up now."

Caleb started to laugh. "This isn't how I expected it to go. No, I can't turn invisible. Being sneaky is really kind of a side effect. It's a lot more frustrating and complicated than that. Here, let me show you."

He looked nervously around, though the privacy spell would notify him if anyone were trying to watch. Tonks thought about her own spying, and realized she needed to be more cautious in case someone was paranoid. If she was ever even interested in doing that perverted shit again.

"All right," he said. "Think of any number. Wait for a random time and then tell me it."

Tonks paused, then opened her mouth.

"Eleven," Caleb said, exactly with her.

"Whoa," she said.

"Do it again," said Caleb.

"Minus eight plus pi times zeta of three" they said together. "Whatever the fuck that is," added Caleb, and Tonks laughed in amazement.

"You can read minds," she said. "Legilimency?"

"Hah! Wouldn't that be a curse. No, it's even weirder. Here, let's try this." He pulled out a small stack of Chocolate Frog wizard cards, turning them face down and then closing his eyes.

"OK, pick a couple cards together without looking. When you're just about to grab them, tell me."

Tonks reached her hand. "Now," she said.

"Grunion, Yen, Wildsmith, Wadcock," he said, before her fingers had even touched the cards. Of course he was correct.

"Again?" Caleb asked.

"No, I believe it," she said, thinking furiously. "You can … see the future? Seriously?"

"I knew you'd catch on fast," said Caleb, opening his eyes.

"Oh," said Tonks. "Divination. You're a Seer? That's amazing! I should have guessed."

But Caleb was shaking his head. "No, I don't think so. Not exactly. None of the usual Seer techniques make any sense to me. When it works, it's more exact than that, and there's no Inner Eye or anything. It's taken a long time to get used to it, but basically when something will happen for sure, I can sense if I focus on the situation. These little tricks we were doing fall into that category, once you'd decided."

"So the sneaking around – what, do you just wait until I decide to look the other way or something?"

"And I know which spots on the floor are creaky, and whether there's anyone in a room I'm about to enter, that kind of thing. I've been doing it so long that I forget how much goes into it. It was a game for me as a kid."

Something jogged Tonks's memory. "Oh, of course! That's how you saved your sister."

She bit her tongue. She was such a fucking idiot. Caleb was absolutely frozen.

"I shouldn't have brought that up. I'm sorry, Caleb. I'm so thoughtless."

Still he didn't move. She could barely tell he was breathing. Nervously she took his hand, and he melted just a little. For a minute she thought he was going to cry, but then he took a deep breath and sighed.

"Yeah," he said. "That was how I knew. And afterwards I realized I'd known before that, minutes, hours, I don't know. I'd ignored it because it didn't make any sense compared to the usual things I felt: creaky boards, coin tosses, dinner choices. Our mother gave us that life even while she fought a war, and I was too amused by my secret to think about how important a gift I had."

Tonks put her arms around him, and he crushed her against his chest.

"You were eight," she whispered. "It was Death Eaters who did that to your mother. And you were living the life that she wanted you to live. A normal kid."

Caleb nodded, but he didn't reply. So she hugged him some more.

"Someone's coming," he said. They disentangled awkwardly and Caleb made a show of gathering up his cards. It was just a little second-year girl Tonks barely knew. When had they gotten so young?

When the girl was gone, Tonks tried to change the subject. 

"That's really an amazing ability," she said softly. "A lot more amazing than mine. But yours is a lot more of a curse too."

"Tonks," he said hesitantly. "This is probably really rude and personal, so don't feel you have to answer. Can you change more than your hair?"

She stared at him. She'd been operating under the assumption he'd overheard her with Pomfrey, but obviously that wasn't it, or else he'd know everything. So he must have somehow caught her doing her hair when he was sneaking around. It was kind of cute, though she was hard-pressed to figure out when it could have been. Then she wondered what prompted his question, and she started to giggle.

"Oh," she said. "Is this about the, um, cleavage?"

Caleb's face was evidence enough. She should get this off her chest, so to speak. And this would help explain her horrible behavior. It still ran against every instinct she had, yet Caleb had shared with her a far more dangerous secret. Seers had been kidnapped and worse during the War.

"So," she said. "Until a couple weeks ago I'd never done anything but hair. It was kind of amazing and scary. It's so much harder than hair, and I'm not used to it. It takes so much energy to keep just right, and if I'm nervous, like because I've just kissed a really hot guy, then my control goes all wacko, and you saw that dress. One wrong move and you'd have seen a lot more of me than you were expecting. You and everyone else. Except it wasn't really me anyway, because those weren't my real boobs. Or maybe it was me, but it was also Kat, because -"

Tonks clapped her hand on her mouth. Caleb was trying not to laugh.

"Anyway, it felt like I was losing control of everything, and that's why I ran. Do I always babble like this when I'm nervous? Or is it just with you? I must like you or something. Oh, Merlin, say something, Caleb."

"So that's why you ate three plates of chicken," he said. "It was amazing. A man could fall in love with that."

She stuck out her tongue at him.

"Sorry," he said. "I'm just trying not to dwell too much on the whole popping out of the dress thing. It's a distracting thought. And for what it's worth, my vote is they're your boobs no matter what shape they are. Would you really be so preoccupied with them if they were someone else's?"

He had a point. Though –

"I don't know," said Tonks. "You seem pretty preoccupied with mine, so who's to say?"

Caleb made a rather unconvincing display of leering at her well-hidden boobs, but it warmed her anyway. 

"So how exactly did you find out anyway? I'm pretty careful, just like you are."

Caleb coughed and shook his head. He was obviously embarrassed. Had he snuck into a girls' bathroom or something? That was about the only place aside from the girls' side of Hufflepuff, which had all sorts of incantations protecting it from that kind of spying. Except by other girls, she thought with amusement.

"I really should tell you," he said. "You deserve to know, I guess. But this is totally mortifying."

"Caleb," she said. "Obviously you were spying on me, intentionally or not. I didn't mean to press you. The point is: stop worrying about it. I'm finding it doesn't bother me at all, and I'm hardly one to talk. How do you think I got the details right on Kat's boobs? Not that I made them that big, of course. That time anyway. It's kind of cool, I mean, I can mix them together – wait, are you sure you don't have the secret ability to make me say embarrassing things?"

Caleb was staring at her, probably imagining Kat's boobs on her chest. The whole conversation was surreal, but she felt better than she had since that evening. Relaxed. Experimentally she *pushed*, and felt her nipples respond easily. Oh, Merlin, she'd missed that.

"You are amazing," said Caleb. "Full of surprises. And a thousand times sexier than I had even guessed."

This kiss was even better than the first time. She wasn't so nervous, and she wasn't trying to juggle all that body stuff. Her mind raced right ahead, to that dream part where they were fucking. She wasn't exactly sure how the stuff in the middle was going to happen though. Were they dating now? Apparently she could worry just fine even without fighting with her magic.

They took a break, and then Caleb looked towards the girls' side. "Tomoko," he said quietly, and quickly canceled the privacy spell. All proper and above-board. Somehow the sneakiness was making it all that much hotter.

An instant later her roommate wandered out blearily. Tomoko had been under the weather since yesterday and had decided to skip any big weekend plans. She belatedly saw the two of them, and slowly smiled. But she simply waved and walked on by. 

Tonks was getting wet. Her heart pounded and she gave the tiniest nudge – oh, yes. She had it back, or close enough. She shifted slightly to help the magic. Flesh against flesh, the tiniest little motions, but it was enough. She didn't think she'd ever get tired of Kat's clitoris.

When Tomoko left she leaned towards Caleb and whispered in his ear.

"I wouldn't mind some of your stealth," she said. "I wasted a lot of time trying to get a look at Tomoko, before she basically showed off to me. Just that evening before the party."

Caleb stared at her, struggling with something. Finally he swallowed and took her hand.

"You want to go someplace private?" he asked.

She nodded vigorously, and they stood up. He took her hand as they walked out the door and climbed through the big barrel into the hall.

To her surprise he led her down the dusty tunnel to the left. It didn't go anywhere, and the only doors were a couple shallow supply closets that hardly seemed appropriate for a tryst. But Caleb opened one of them, so she crowded in with him, sitting on a short barrel as he closed the door.

"Caleb, what exactly …" 

"Ssh, wait a second," he said. He did something in the dark, and she felt a draft. Then he pulled her towards a space that hadn't been there. She stumbled and nearly face-planted.

"Sorry," he said softly. "Do you have a way of seeing when it's really dim?"

He moved behind her as she cast the Oculus spell, and with her newly acute vision she could see him pressing a wall in an odd pattern until the space behind them closed. They were in some weird narrow space, like a corridor. The floor was soft, and split in height, with the right side like a bench or shelf. Weird but cosy. The dim light was coming from around a corner.

Caleb cast a little privacy spell, which seemed excessive to Tonks, but maybe he was a screamer or something.

"How'd you find this place?" she asked. "I've been here a lot longer and I've never heard of it."

"Not surprised," he said. "It didn't look like anyone had been here for decades. Took a lot of cleaning. How I found it – well, that was my abilities. They don't just work on things in the immediate future, but it's a lot more hit-or-miss. This time was typical. I was so nervous here my first month, and I just wanted to be alone. Not really expecting anything, I started imagining myself in some cosy space in the future. All mine, where I could be myself. And then suddenly the future closed in, and I found myself walking here, and when it came time I knew exactly the weird sequence I needed to unlock the space. As you'll see – never mind. I'm chattering because I'm nervous."

He took her hand in his. Merlin, he was shaking. Was there a bed in there? Was he thinking about sex too? Maybe they could do it right here, on the bench. Her mind raced forward and in the darkness she blushed at her fantasies.

She had to crane her neck to kiss him properly standing up. She'd kissed a few other guys, including some taller ones, but it had been a long time. Way too long. She pressed him back and he got the idea, sitting down against the wall. That height wasn't quite right either, but it was a different kind of uncomfortable. She pulled his arm and he stood up again. They started to laugh, and she wrapped her arms around him. He squeezed her, incredibly tightly, and her body was responding to him, nipples hardening, heart racing. She pushed herself closer, pressing her body against his. He had his hand between them or something, and she reached –

Oh. His only hand was on her back. Caleb yelped and she yanked her hand away from his crotch.

"Sorry! I didn't mean – I didn't know. Ack, I'm so clumsy," she said.

"Surprised me," he said weakly, trying to catch his breath. He flopped and sat down again.

She'd touched his dick. Practically grabbed it, though it was still in his trousers of course. She'd never even seen one before. He must have an erection, and she'd done that to him.

She kissed him on the forehead, and then she straddled him onto his lap, banging her knee on the wall. Wasn't this one of the positions people had sex? How exactly was that supposed to work?

"Merlin, Tonks …" 

She got herself positioned right, and then suddenly her crotch landed on something hard. Oh. Oh. She experimentally rocked herself slightly and Caleb moaned, pulling her tighter against him.

"Did you see this happening, then?" she teased Caleb. "What do you think's going to happen next"

He got an odd look and Tonks felt bad. She shouldn't poke him about this ability.

"No," he said. "No, I never saw you at all. And I think maybe that's the best gift ever. An amazing surprise when I least expected it."

She kissed him again, leaning against him awkwardly. Their noses smashed into each other, and then she nailed him with an elbow. He grunted softly, and started to laugh.

"Is it always this awkward?" he asked.

"I assumed it was just me," she said. "Wait, are you asking me as though I'm the experienced one here?"

They stared at each other, and then started laughing.

"Good we got that straight, then," said Tonks. "Here's to new mistakes."

"I'll kiss to that," said Caleb, and they did. He rubbed her back, and she rocked against him. It was almost like fucking, and she'd never felt anything so wonderful. She leaned back and undid her robes the rest of the way. Just a T-shirt and jeans kind of day for her. Caleb moaned and moved his hand further down her back, until he was cupping her bum. He squeezed slightly and she sighed, hoping he would keep moving his hand. But he seemed to be getting nervous. Maybe she'd have to keep leading him.

He had an extra shirt layer on, so she slipped her hand under it, feeling the muscles of his back, tracing around to a rougher patch –

He jerked.

"Sorry, does that hurt?" she asked.

"No, it's not that," he said. "I can't feel much on that side. But – you really don't mind touching me there?"

"Of course not," she said. "Why would I? I'm nervous because you're a guy and I like you and I don't want to hurt you in any way."

"I'm not fragile," Caleb said, squeezing her against him. He practically crushed the air out of her.

"No, that's for sure," she said, trying to hug him back just as hard. He grunted slightly and repositioned himself against her.

"Well, some parts of me are more sensitive than others," he admitted conspiratorially.

"Yeah, I understand," she said. She took his hand, leaned back, and planted it directly on her shirt over her left boob. He looked at her, mouth open.

"Go ahead, have a feel," she said. "I'll tell you if something hurts. Or if I like it." She grinned. This was far more fun that she'd ever imagined.

He was much gentler than she expected, stroking rather than grabbing. He passed over her nipple and she hissed. She was shaking with nervousness, but he seemed even more uncomfortable, so she'd keep trying to be bold. She *pushed* slightly and borrowed Tomoko's nipples. Then she borrowed her roommate's pussy for good measure. It felt wrong, like she was lying to Caleb, but he couldn't tell under her clothes. And it felt so bloody good. She could switch things back later, if they kept going – 

Tomoko wouldn't hesitate. So Tonks pulled her shirt over her head, trying to do it in a sexy way, but it had a tight neck and she got it a little stuck on her nose. Not that it seemed to matter to Caleb. He was even gentler now with just her bra on. She didn't want to look at her tiny boobs, but Caleb seemed fascinated with them. Maybe if she changed them all the way, plumped them up just a little more – no, he'd notice it.

She shouldn't have even changed her nipples. She was more sensitive than Tomoko there, and she knew her own body best. Though Tomoko's pussy seemed to like rocking against Caleb's hard cock as much as she did.

Maybe they could take their trousers off. That still wouldn't really be sex, but the thought of it made her quiver. And this couldn't be the most comfortable thing for Caleb. Tonks slid back, kissing Caleb's hand as it slid off of her breast, and she knelt in front of him.

His dick jerked when she touched it, and she pulled her hand away.

"No, no, that's normal," Caleb whispered. "It feels so good, Tonks." He seemed a little distracted, and kept glancing over towards the bend in the hallway, where the light was coming from. Maybe there really was a bed in there.

She touched him again, feeling his length. He truly did seem big, and things were partly diagonal under there. That couldn't be comfortable. She held her breath and reached for the snap.

There was a noise, something faint but slightly familiar, coming from the bend ahead. She paused, and realized that Caleb was distracted by it as well. He looked incredibly nervous now.

"What's that? Is there a bed up ahead? It would be great to stretch out more," she said.

Caleb didn't look at her. Finally he stood up with a jerky motion.

"I'm sorry, Tonks," he said. "This is all going wrong. I mean, it's going too right, because that's not why I brought you here, but now I can't bear to see what –. I've got to go to Quidditch practice anyway. Merlin, I'm such a coward. I'll teach you the pattern to come back out. If you still want to spend time with me after you find out, I'll be in the common room at five-thirty. But I'll understand."

Confused and hurt, Tonks padded after him as he headed to the door. Surely he'd been enjoying himself as much as she was? Though she knew that sometimes boys got erections, and it didn't have to mean anything. Like in the mornings.

He quickly showed her the code, which was a lot easier than the one to get in. Fire safety or something. 

"I don't understand," she said, starting to follow him. "Are you upset?"

"Just at myself," Caleb said. "Never you. No, before you go you need to explore the rest of the space. You'll understand then."

He pushed her back inside and made her close the secret panel before he left the closet, and suddenly she was alone.

Tonks took a deep breath. She was incredibly upset. So this must be how Caleb had felt when he'd run out on her. It sucked.

Whatever Caleb was so ashamed of was up ahead. Best get it over with. She padded silently along the soft floor. If everywhere were like this, even she might be able to sneak. She'd still probably find a way to trip and thump.

She rounded the corner and blinked. The light was coming from some thin rectangular strips on the wall. Otherwise there wasn't much. A chair, a yoga pad or something on the floor. The shelf continued around the side until it reached a blank wall, apparently the end of the space.

The noise she'd heard was louder, and she was sure she recognized it. She moved forward towards the lights.

Oh. They weren't lights, but little windows, just a few inches high. She bent to look through, squinting against the light with her enhanced vision, and then things fell into place.

"Holy shit," she whispered. 

It was the Hufflepuff showers. The upperclass girls' showers, to be precise. She knew them well enough. This little space backed up to two of the shower stalls and part of the space outside. The furthest window looked onto a third shower stall and the adjacent area, but she didn't recognize the place. The familiar sound was water running in yet another shower she couldn't see. 

Caleb had stumbled on the work of some voyeuristic genius from another era. And this must have been where he'd seen her. Merlin, he could have seen her doing – just about anything. She flushed, and waited for the sense of hurt.

There wasn't any. Maybe if it had been someone else, but – it was Caleb. The thought of him watching was actually a little exciting. And Tonks had less than zero grounds for judgment. She'd been more blatant and intentional in her spying. This was vastly better. Comfortable, private, cosy – she realized with amusement that she was jealous of Caleb.

"This is the most awesome thing ever," she said aloud. In fact, she was disappointed that there was no one to watch. But surely she could wait here a while? A quick conjuration, and two bells chimed in her ear. Two o'clock. She had three hours if she wanted.

She walked to the last window again. Definitely not Hufflepuff. Different color scheme. Darker colors, higher ceilings. There was some spatial trickery involved here, because they weren't near any other House. Though when she thought about it, this space shouldn't be right near the Hufflepuff showers either. Magic. In any case it was invisible from the other side, though perhaps Caleb didn't entirely trust that, since he'd kept it dark and used a privacy spell. Now that he was gone, she put up one of her own.

Afternoon wasn't exactly peak time for using the showers, though someone was clearly there. The water sounds were coming from the unfamiliar window, so she pulled the chair over.

The chair was probably something Caleb had brought in. It was too low for her, in any case. But when she folded the mat underneath her, she could sit and watch.

Slowly her excitement fizzled. It was hard to keep her mind focused, just sitting here. Maybe she should get herself going, but now she was feeling awkward about it.

Finally the water stopped, and she leaned forward eagerly. She might at least get a view of whoever it was when they left. There were some very faint noises, but whoever it was was taking her time. Or his time? Did she even know this was a girls' shower? Her pulse picked up again.

When it came, it was so fast she almost missed it. A mostly-dressed girl with a towel in her hair walked past her view. Tonks tried to recall her and failed. But there had been something about her bag – oh. It was Slytherin colors.

That was – huh. She didn't know how she felt about that. She didn't have any Slytherin friends, or even friendly acquaintances. Slytherins meant the Blacks, the Malfoys – all the old families. As hers was, with the minor exception of her Dad and all that boisterous, slightly alien Muggle family. Fucking racists, the lot of them, though of course some were worse than others. She supposed she got a little satisfaction at the idea of seeing Emilia naked, or Justine, or any of the other assholes. But it wasn't really a sexual thrill. She picked up her chair and carried it back over towards the Hufflepuff windows. There was plenty of time, if she was patient. She even took showers in the afternoon some days, particularly if she'd had a super-lazy morning. Especially *that* type of morning, when her roommates were out.

Caleb might have seen a hell of a lot of her from here. She tried to remember any memorable time she'd used one of these two stalls, but she'd never paid much attention to which was which. When he was less traumatized maybe she'd pry some details out of him. She was getting horny just thinking about it. Would he let her come along sometime? Would they watch together? 

Her eyes were starting to droop and Tonks was considering giving up when someone opened the door to the left shower. It was Manuela, a shy sixth-year she didn't know very well. Manuela was fully dressed in her typical drab sweater and charcoal skirt, the net effect of which always made her look a bit lump-shaped. She was very short, and a good bit rounder than Tonks. 

Tonks had never thought she was unattractive, though she had the sense Manuela got unkind teasing by some of the girls from Slytherin. But what did they know, anyway? Still, she'd never felt this kind of anticipation for Manuela. She *wanted* to see Manuela, to understand the girl's body, to see what secrets it held and try them out on herself. It seemed perverted when she thought about it too hard, so she wouldn't think.

Tonks stood up and pulled off the rest of her clothes. It seemed neither warm nor cold in here, no matter what she wore. Manuela was slower, hanging up her bag and undoing her hair. Finally she pulled off the drab sweater, and Tonks blinked. She was wearing a canary-yellow bra, and shortly she exposed matching knickers. Manuela picked up her wand and stretched, and suddenly she seemed an entirely new person. She whispered something and waved her wand in an intricate fashion, performing some magic completely unfamiliar to Tonks. Something subtle appeared in the air, and Tonks tried to make sense of it as Manuela finished undressing and stepped into the shower.

It was new and beautiful and remarkably skilled. Manuela was an artist. Light and color danced in the water about her, and there was an erotic edge to it. When the light pooled around her nipples, Manuela shuddered. 

Tonks was entranced. Even from her vantage she felt the pull of the magic, the ghost of a touch on her own nipples. She *pushed* and soon Manuela's large areolae and brown nipples graced her small breasts. The sensation of the distant magic was even stronger now. She wanted to feel what Manuela did. The other girl didn't even touch herself, but just sighed and washed slowly as the water and magic flowed around her. 

Tonks stared at Manuela, focused her enhanced vision, and drank in all she could. Then she took a deep breath, planted her feet, and *pushed*.

Her breasts swelled, drooping lower. She'd already borrowed Manuela's straight black hair and lush black blush, and now she  
felt the rest of Manuela's vulva, exploring its folds with her fingers. She wished she could make that magic, but mundane methods seemed to work just fine as well.

This was easier than it had ever been. She could feel more of Manuela's gorgeous body, just waiting to take form, and she *pushed* harder, feeling her hips rounding slightly, her thighs beginning to thicken, rubbing each other in a way that gave her surprising pleasure. There was so much more to Manuela's body, and she poured more and more energy to fill it out. It was exhausting, but then she felt something shift oddly, and her perspective changed in an unnerving fashion.

She'd shrunk. She'd actually gotten a little shorter. Terrified, she let go, and she felt her old body begin to rush back in, her scrawny legs and small tits and everything that wasn't so well attuned to the beautiful magic she saw.

She held herself still and breathed. There was a sense to this. She hadn't tried to make herself smaller, but her magic had run along those channels easily. Of course: reshaping matter was far easier than adding mass. Maybe her magic was less different than she'd realized from regular Transfiguration.

Manuela was rounder than she was, but their weight probably wasn't so different. She shouldn't try to force only one change at once. 

When she *pushed* again, the change was much faster. She was burning plenty of energy, but she immediately knew this was the right way to do it.

She didn't get all the way there, and she was sure she didn't have the face quite right. Faces always felt slippery to her for some reason. But this body felt like a different person, more than just on the surface. Her skin tingled everywhere, and she knew now why Manuela used the shower like this. Manuela wasn't going to have an orgasm like this, but that wasn't the point, and for Manuela this was better anyway. It was deeply pleasurable, and it didn't need to have a single release. 

Tonks wasn't Manuela, though. Even wearing Manuela's body, she was starting to shake with suppressed need. Well, they always said most of sex was in the brain, and she doubted her abilities would let her muck around with that even if she wanted to.

Feeling oddly self-conscious, she mumbled an apology to Manuela and jammed two fingers inside herself. She was starting to get exhausted holding her body this way, so figured she better make it fast.

She'd never felt so dirty borrowing parts of someone else's body. But Manuela's nipples and clit and asshole and skin didn't seem to disapprove. 

Tonks could almost feel the orgasm, but it was taking too long and she was shaking badly. Manuela's softer legs weren't used to this kind of workout, and Tonks had to lean against the wall. Reluctantly she let go of Manuela's clit and inner lips. She sighed as her clit swelled and she felt the more familiar response. Just a few *pushes*, brushing towards Kat's extreme sensitivity, and finally it started.

Manuela was drying off, and her magic faded in the air around her. With her orgasm Tonks lost her own magical grip, and she let herself *push* through a myriad of partial transformations.

"Fuck," she said as she felt something let go. Warm liquid poured down her legs, and there was nothing to do but ride it out. At least it was a strong, satisfying orgasm. When the last of it shuddered through her, she flopped back into her seat, but she'd kicked it aside at some point, and she landed hard on her ass in a pool of warmth.

Once she made sure she hadn't broken her ass, Tonks gave a tired laugh. It was such a Tonks thing to happen. She tiredly got up and began to clean herself and the area she'd covered in piss. Way to respect Caleb's space, Tonks. Though guys had their own messes, she knew. Surely he'd done that here. How could he not have?

Merlin, she was light-headed. Starving. She checked the time, and saw it was nearly five. She didn't feel entirely clean, but given choice of shower or early dinner she knew which she was taking.

Poor Caleb. She had better meet him on time, or early. If only he knew how unbothered she was by the whole thing. She wondered again what he'd seen of her. Did he have any idea what a sex fiend she was becoming? 

She finished dressing and walked back out, closing the door as Caleb had shown her. Of course now she couldn't get back in, not without Caleb showing her how. Would he let her back? Would he want to watch with her? She felt a stirring of excitement again, but her hunger was overpowering everything.


	6. Chapter 6

"Hey Ruella. Can I join you?" 

As usual there was already a good Hufflepuff contingent at dinner. They liked their food. Still, Ruella goggled at the immensely heaped plate of food, and the way Tonks started to devour it.

"Uh, hi," said Ruella uneasily. They had avoided each other since that confrontation. 

"So, Caleb and I finally talked," she said, in between heavily buttered potatoes. "I think it's going to be OK. Or more OK. He had to run to Quidditch so I'm going to catch him in just a minute. But I thought you should know we're not avoiding each other now. I think."

"OK," she said slowly, squinting at Tonks. "OK. I know I should stick my nose out of all this, but he's my brother. More than that. I just want him to be happy. I like you, Tonks, and I want it to work out, but whatever happens, just try to remember how little happiness he's let himself have."

Tonks smiled and stuffed some more roast beef into herself. She was starting to feel hungry instead of ravenous. Ruella was nice. She deserved her own happiness. Tonks suspected Caleb's sister hadn't really allowed herself much joy either. She was nice-looking, for all her skinniness. Cute. Tonks sighed: exactly the label she hated. Maybe Ruella would fill out, or find someone who liked her body, the way Caleb seemed to like hers. For that matter Tonks liked Ruella's body just fine. A little taller than her, so she must weigh about the same …

Tonks nearly coughed on her pot roast. Her magic was still on a bit of a simmer, and she was going to blame that line of thinking on inattention. She really should not be trying to learn Ruella's body.

"I gotta run," she mumbled to Ruella. "See you later."

She stuffed a few biscuits in her pockets and hurried off to find Caleb. On her way out the door she nearly bowled over Justine, in the process losing one of the biscuits she was holding. 

"Sorry," she mumbled through a mouth full of biscuit as she hurried on. There were outraged squawks in her wake, but she had to get back on time.

He was looking right at her as she entered the common room. Of course: she couldn't surprise him, not if he were worrying and hoping about her arrival. He quickly looked away, and she put the sunniest expression she could on her face.

The common room was bustling, full of people heading out to dinner. He must have just come in, as he still had his broom with him. He wasn't visibly dirty, but when she sat across from him she smelled the tinge of sweat. She wanted to lick it off him. Merlin, she was horny again.

"It's all fine," she said. "I'm not upset at all. You don't need to tell me anything else if you don't want, but … oh, for Merlin's sake, I love that place. I hope you let me come back, or maybe – together?"

She was so awkward. But Caleb breathed a deep sigh and took her hand.

"I feel like I'm dreaming," he said. "I envisioned a million ways that could have gone, and that wasn't one of them."

"So, can we date then?" Tonks put her other hand on his.

"Yeah," said Caleb, a wondering smile on his face. "That sounds good."

"Great," said Tonks. "Now, can we get dinner first? I'm starving."

"I kind of need a shower," he said.

"No you don't," said Tonks. "You smell good. Anyway, I need a shower too. But I told you, I'm starved. It can wait."

She dragged him up by the wrist and in a few short minutes they were back in the dining hall.

She'd just settled down with Caleb, Ruella, and a gigantic pile of food when Justine found her.

"Oh, hello, Nympho…Dora," she said sweetly. "Glad to see you're finally satisfying those – urges of yours."

Justine gestured broadly at the food and Caleb.

Ruella opened her mouth but Tonks got there first.

"Hi, Justine. Sorry about running into you earlier – you know how clumsy I am. And I find I'm so hungry these days. All that magic, studying to be an Auror, you know."

Justine's face darkened. Her parents had planned it all out for Justine: Auror track and Ministry employment. Justine had been a good student, but not good enough.

"Well, best of luck to you there," Justine said tautly. "I'm sure you'll trip your way through the stealth training with ease."

Tonks tried to keep her expression neutral. Justine was better at this kind of fencing than she was. And the witch wasn't through.

"You know, it's a pity," Justine said. "All that food you pack in, you'd think you might – fill out a little." She flicked her eyes down to Tonks' bosom and smiled sadly. "But bodies do what they will, I guess! And I hear there are some boys willing to make a go of it regardless." She smiled sweetly at Caleb and turned to walk off at her usual measured pace.

There was a quick motion across the table. 

"Let. Go." Ruella hissed.

His sister had her wand half raised, but Caleb had intercepted her wrist.

"You can't," he said quietly. "It's not worth it. Neither of us cares what she says, do we?"

Tonks shook her head.

Ruella gave one last look at Justine's back before looking at Tonks.

"*I* think you're beautiful," she mumbled, and let go of her wand.

Caleb released her wrist.

"Obviously so do I," he said, smiling at Tonks. He tousled Ruella's hair. "And I'm lucky to have such a perfectly Hufflepuff sister. Sometimes a little too Hufflepuff, if that's possible?"

"Nope, not possible," said Tomoko from behind them. Without asking permission, her roommate pulled up a chair next to her and set her food down. "Merlin, what a bitch Justine is. She's just jealous, don't you think, Ruella?"

The younger girl nodded vigorously. 

Kat's voice came from behind them. "Was Justine being an ass again? Maybe we should slip her some laxatives again, loosen things up." She pulled up a seat as well.

Then Alexa sat down, and Gregory, and a few other Quidditch teammates and hangers-on. Soon the three of them were the center of a warm, boisterous dinner group. Ruella was relaxing, and though Caleb looked a little uncomfortable, he clearly appreciated his teammates' efforts. It was what Tonks loved about Hufflepuff. Sometimes they could even make a broken witch like her feel at home.

* * *

The three of them slowly walked back to Hufflepuff. Tonks didn't know where this was going, but she was finally full, and she had good company.

Ruella had been giving the two of them glances for a while. Finally she picked up her pace.

"See you later guys. Gotta go do some homework. Thanks for having dinner with me, Tonks. Uh, both times." She giggled slightly and rushed ahead.

Caleb watched her disappear around the corner with one of those complicated Caleb expressions on his face. But he smiled warmly when he looked back at Tonks.

"I still need a shower," he said.

"Me too," said Tonks, and then she pulled him into a kiss. Merlin, he smelled good. He felt good. Warm, manly, all muscle and stubble and soft lips. She pressed her hips against him and felt his dick swelling against her.

Caleb roughly broke off the kiss and took a deep breath.

"Merlin," he sighed. "Tonks, that was – I wasn't expecting –"

"So let's keep doing it," she said, pressing against him. Maybe with his abilities they could just sneak down a hallway and start fucking. As though they were invisible, watching other students go by even as his dick pushed into her – how would that work? He was too tall. Whatever, they could work out the mechanics. She slid her hand down his front, tracing the great bulge at his crotch.

"Tonks, slow down," Caleb whispered. "Let's at least find somewhere more private." He looked terrified.

"Sorry, Caleb," she said. "I'm getting carried away. Can we go back to that watching space? It's all I could think about all afternoon. Being there with you, I mean. I was there by myself for a long time, and –"

She closed her mouth. Caleb looked even more horrified. He looked back and Tonks saw another student come around the corner. They started to walk.

"I can't go there with you," he said softly. "Not yet anyway. I do know another place though."

Some minutes later they came to a familiar dusty hallway. Tonks stared at him as he led her to the secret bathroom and pushed open the door.

"I've only ever heard one other person in here," he said. "I think it might have been a girl, even though – well, the urinals, you know."

"It didn't say 'boys' on it," Tonks said petulantly.

Caleb stared at her. "You –"

"Yeah, this is my space to go and be – by myself. I guess that was you who interrupted me."

"Both times?" Caleb asked. She nodded, and he laughed.

"I guess we were meant for each other," he said.

"Yeah, it was love at first piss," said Tonks. Caleb guffawed, a loud noise that echoed a few times in the bathroom. Hastily he set his privacy spell, and then magically locked the door for good measure. When he wasn't looking Tonks adjusted and reinforced his spell.

They stood there and looked at each other.

"This is private," said Tonks. "But I'm not sure it was exactly –"

Caleb grimaced. "Yeah, not very romantic, is it. I guess we can talk, at least."

Tonks wrapped her arms around him and tried to recapture the mood. But it was an overly-bright bathroom. The corner stall pulled her with its promise of a darker, familiar spot, but she wasn't sure how Caleb would take an invitation there.

"Oh, fuck it," she said, and pulled out her wand. A few spells later, the harsh lighting was gone, replaced by a dim, warm light, like the Hufflepuff common room ceiling exuded in the middle of the night. She closed her eyes and concentrated. A sofa borrowed from the area outside Herbology. A section of carpet from the hallway. She'd always been good at this kind of Transfiguration. Only now did she realize that her easy way of transforming an entire space was not so different from what she naturally did with her own body.

She opened her eyes. Caleb watched her with a kind of awe. 

"Sorry Caleb, I shouldn't show off like that," Tonks said.

The room was fully decorated. She'd pulled in things without even thinking much about it towards the end. Even the painting on the wall matched the decor. Like a hermit's grotto, simple, clean, and snug. A space someone loved.

"You're – everyone whispers that you're so good," Caleb managed. "I guess I should have known, but I've never seen such skilled magic. And I'd have heard more than whispers if people had seen you do anything like this. Why hide it?"

Tonks shook her head, intending to brush off the compliment, but to her shock she realized she'd started to cry.

"They can't know," she whispered. "The Malfoys, the Blacks, the ones I don't know about hiding quietly, biding their time, until HE comes back. They can't know what I can do. I have to hide as much as I can, just like my other talent. I have to get even stronger, so that when the time comes they have no idea how much they've underestimated me. Because my father –"

She couldn't go on, but Caleb put his arm around her and held her as she sniffled. Of course he understood, better than anyone.

He pulled her over to the sofa and they sat together.

"Tonks," he said slowly. "I'm going to tell you something now, and I want you to accept it and not ask any other questions. I told you that sometimes I get flashes of things much further in the future. In that I'm like a Seer, I guess. It's just as maddening as it is for them, because I don't always understand what I see, and almost everything is completely blank. But there's one thing I've known for a long time, the furthest thing I've ever seen in the future. You're right: Voldemort is coming back. And *we will beat him*."

The certainty in Caleb's voice rang through her, and for a while she relaxed against his chest. She had no doubt he'd seen truly. Seers always knew, and Caleb was as good as one.

But it was never that easy, and that was why he didn't want her to ask questions. Maybe he was hiding other horrible things from her, things he knew or only had the faintest outline of. Or maybe he just knew how tortuous the path to the future could be. It didn't matter. He'd given her a precious gift, and she'd treasure it forever.

"Thank you, Caleb. I know what it must cost you to share something like that."

Caleb shook his head, but he hugged her tighter. His fingers had settled not far from her left boob, and all of a sudden she was thinking about other things, the kind of things you could do in private with a boy on a couch. She leaned to kiss him.

By the time they came up for air, she'd managed to undo her bra from under her shirt. Thus freed, she couldn't help but *push* them a little. More than a little. Not as extreme as the night of the party, though. And her nipples, just a little bigger. To match.

"Take off my shirt," she whispered to him.

He looked at her as though she were a jewel, a present he'd been given to unwrap, as though she were he most beautiful thing in the world. She was glad she'd gotten her boobs just a little nicer for him. She hoped she didn't smell too bad, as she'd been kind of fast about that cleanup earlier. Carefully she erased her pubic hair. In that she could be clean, like Kat. Guys liked it that way.

Caleb reached and slowly worked her shirt over her head, one side and then the other. Her bra fell off with it and he simply stared at her.

"You're – you're so beautiful," he said. He looked at her boobs, really staring at them, and she felt herself warming. It wasn't so much she'd changed them. Not so obvious as all that. And she liked them like this. Maybe she could figure out how to keep them that way all the time, the way she did with her hair. Though she'd probably need to get some new bras.

"You can touch me," she prompted. 

He did one better. Slowly his head moved closer, and he planted his lips on her little nipple. She should have made them more like Kat's. As he suckled she *pushed*, and went with a little of Berella instead. The nipple extended further, harder than she was used to, and Caleb took a shuddering breath.

"Is this OK?" He murmured.

"Perfect," she said, except that she wanted so much more. She was soaking into her underwear, and she realized she'd been *pushing*, manipulating her clit in that way she was getting so fond of.

He was so nervous that she didn't want to rush him. And what he was doing with his tongue felt wonderful. Gentle little swirls and nibbles, just hard enough to shorten her breath. She was starting to feel selfish for all the attention, so she leaned in and slipped her hands under his shirt.

He was so tense. She traced outward and felt the patches of scarring thickening towards his missing arm, the weird ridged patterns forming as she moved towards his side. 

Caleb had stopped moving. She wasn't making him less tense by touching this way, rather the opposite. Gently she moved that hand away from the scarred side and began to massage his back. He sighed into her breast and began to kiss her again.

"I won't touch you where you don't want me to," she said softly. "But you have to help me out with that." She pulled her right hand out and began to stroke down his chest, each stroke getting closer to the giant bulge in his trousers.

"That's good," he whispered. "I like that." He switched to nuzzling the other breast and Tonks moaned. On her next stroke she kept moving her hand down, all the way to settle on his dick.

"Tonks …" he breathed, shuddering.

In theory she knew perfectly well what to do with a dick. In practice: well, this was her practice, she supposed. She wished she'd fooled around more, gotten the stupid things worked out with someone she didn't care about so much. Though maybe that was a dumb thought. Time to stop stalling. She reached for the snap, and this time nothing interrupted her.

The head of his dick was right there. Merlin, it was poking out the top of his underwear. She finished unzipping his jeans and started to pull them down. Caleb moaned and shifted to help her, but he wasn't looking at her.

Everything was kind of bunched together and she wound up pulling his underwear partway down in the process. What the hell, she thought, and yanked it down to his knees with everything else. Then she stared at Caleb.

He must have a bigger dick than normal. It looked huge to Tonks. She carefully wrapped a hand around the middle. He felt perfect. Warm, hard, alive under her skin. Any bigger and she'd have trouble wrapping her hand around him at all. She looked up and saw he had his eyes closed. Really tense. Gently she slid her hand up, and back down again, the way she understood guys did it. Caleb winced slightly but didn't say anything.

"Caleb," she said softly, "I want to do this right. I've never done it before, so don't assume I know anything."

He finally opened his eyes and looked at her. He hardly seemed to believe what was happening.

"The friction," he muttered. "That's uncomfortable. You can hold it tighter, don't let the skin slip on your hand. Or – it's nice if it's more slippery."

"Can you show me?" she asked, and he froze again. Poor guy. He was shyer than she was.

"It's OK," she said. "You don't have to, but Merlin, of course you masturbate. I do it all the time. So do my roommates."

"Your – roommates?" Caleb gave her a stricken look, and she giggled. She carefully gripped him tighter and felt his skin slide over his dick. This time he seemed to like it well enough.

"We don't do it together or anything, so don't get your hopes up. But it's a little room and hard to hide that stuff. Plus Tomoko's kind of noisy about it."

"Oh, Merlin," Caleb said. His dick twitched. Obviously he liked her talking this way.

"Tomoko's so pretty," she said. "And I love the way looks when she comes. Like everything just falls away for a minute. Have you ever seen her naked?"

Caleb's dick twitched and he closed his eyes. She'd take that as a yes. But then he shook his head.

"Please, Tonks," he said. "Not – I don't want to think about anyone else. You're all I care about."

Tonks grazed the head of his dick with her lips and he moaned, pushing his hips towards her. Well, here goes, she thought.

The head was even bigger than the shaft. She licked the tip and tasted something odd, slightly bitter. He was leaking a little. That meant he was close, didn't it? She kissed him, licked him, and then opened her mouth wide.

"Holy fuck," said Caleb as she took the head into her mouth. She tried to swirl her tongue around him but he was so huge. She took more into her mouth, and then had to stop. He liked it when she sucked, so she did more of that, moving him in and out of her mouth slightly. His butt was quivering and she put a hand on it.

Soon she needed a break. Her jaw hurt. There must be a better way to do this. How did girls ever get much of it in their mouths? How did they get it inside their vaginas, for that matter? She'd never tried anything nearly that big.

She kissed the tip and kept stroking him gently with her hand.

"Caleb," she said. "Is your dick bigger than most guys?"

He coughed and looked at her.

"Maybe?" He said. "It's not like I've compared. I'm pretty shy. I never even get naked around other guys, really. And what little I've accidentally seen – well, I get a lot bigger at times like this, so probably they also do."

"Well," Tonks said. "I like it anyway. I just wonder how I'm going to get it inside me."

He stared at her. "Uh, Tonks, I'm – this is all going so fast, and I have no idea what I'm doing."

"Me neither," said Tonks cheerfully. "So let's make it up." She put her mouth over his dick again, and this time he started to rock himself, guiding her into a rhythm. She moved her hand along as best she could and began to explore with her other hand. He was so hairy down here, this black hair covering the base of his dick and his balls. Gently she brushed her fingers through, stroking the wrinkled skin there. Caleb moaned loudly and jerked.

"Oh, Tonks, I'm –"

His dick pulsed in her mouth, and Tonks was too surprised to do anything but keep going, swallowing reflexively as the liquid hit her throat. It didn't taste terrible, the way girls said. It didn't taste great either. Just – odd. And her nose was full of Caleb's smell, so the overall sensation wasn't unpleasant. Like a weird runny yoghurt. No, actually, that made it sound worse than it was.

It was Caleb's moans that really made everything worth it. She'd never made anyone feel that good physically. Maybe she wasn't a complete disaster at using her body for things.

"I'm so sorry," Caleb said. She looked up, confused, slurping the last of the cum off his dick. He was trying to pull away from her, so she let go with a last kiss.

"I didn't mind," she said. "I really enjoyed that, and I thought you did as well. What are you sorry for?"

Caleb looked away. "I didn't warn you. And I came so soon. I was trying to hold off, and I certainly didn't want to come in your mouth. But no one's ever done something like that for me. And you're so good at it –" 

"Really, I didn't mind," said Tonks. "It was flattering. And that's quite a compliment. I doubt I'm really that good at it, but if it felt good, that's enough for me."

She sat down next to him on the couch. His dick looked softer now. It leaned over to the side instead of pointing straight up.

"So that's what it's like when it's soft? It still seems really big," she said, reaching to touch it. Caleb jerked slightly and gently moved her hand away.

"Not – not quite yet. It's still really sensitive. And no, that's not what it's like when it's soft. Tonks, you have no idea how arousing it is to be here with you like this. But it'll still take a couple minutes. Can I – can I do something for you?"

She nodded and stood up in front of him. He quickly scooted forward and began to nuzzle her breasts as he'd done before.

It was nice, but she really needed more now. She was surprised she hadn't soaked through her jeans yet. She took his hand off her breast and planted it firmly between her legs. Tentatively, too gently, Caleb started to stroke her there, and so she grabbed his hand again and tried to jam it down her trousers.

He finally got the message. Taking a break from nibbling on her breast, he carefully undid the button on her jeans. She wanted to help him, but it seemed like he might take it the wrong way. She was impatient because she was horny, not because he was too slow with only one hand.

He was so delicate for such a strong man. His fingers artfully managed the task of pulling down her jeans and leaving her underwear in place.

"You can take it off," she urged, and Caleb smiled.

"In a bit," he said. "I'm enjoying this a lot." He touched her, stroking right in the wettest part of her knickers, and she swore.

"No, it's good," she said. "Like with you. All unfamiliar."

"You're so wet," he said wonderingly. "Is that normal?"

"I haven't done much comparing," she said, which Caleb seemed to find extremely funny. Though she wasn't even sure it was the truth. But no, the insides were where all that happened, and she hadn't really replaced any of that. Or had she? She'd had to adjust a lot of things when she'd changed so much of her body towards Manuela. But somehow she didn't think the inside of her vagina was one of them.

Then Caleb slipped a finger under the band of her knickers, and she fell on her ass.

"Shit! Sorry," he said, but Tonks was laughing. She accepted his hand to get up again.

"Ow," she said. "I think I bruised my ass. I'm such a klutz. That felt so, so good."

"Why don't you sit down," Caleb said, patting the couch next to him. She flopped down, and in turn he got up to kneel between her legs. Was he – was he thinking of truly returning the favor? She'd heard this felt phenomenal.

Carefully Caleb worked off her underwear, and then she was naked. Totally exposed to him, her hairless slit and big clit sticking out at the top. She was suddenly self-conscious. At least with some hair it had hidden things a bit.  
She wasn't sure she had the best-looking pussy. Kat's was prettier, of course. Or Genevieve. And she still hadn't seen any girl with a clit as big as hers, when she was excited as she was now. It was starting to feel weird. Though maybe it was like Caleb said. She hadn't exactly seen most of the other women's parts when they were most prominent.

Could she switch it up a little? No, Caleb was taking a good long look at her. She'd have to stick it out.

He stroked her thigh in a way that sent tingles up inside her.

"Is it your ability that let you do that? With your hair?"

She nodded. "Haven't you seen me with different styles down there?"

Caleb reddened. She shouldn't pry like that. She didn't mean to. But finally he came clean.

"I've only seen you a couple times," he said. "But twice I saw you use your abilities. The first time, you were touching up your hair. I thought maybe I'd misunderstood, or that you were using some talisman or something. I wasn't really paying attention to your hair, to be honest, not with a gorgeous body like that. Ugh, Tonks, this is so hard to admit. I feel like such a pervert."

"You don't have to say anything," she said. "And look at what we're doing now. You shouldn't be embarrassed."

She really just wanted him to finish what he'd started with her body. She was so horny. She should have kept her mouth shut.

"No, let me finish. It can't be worse than trying to pretend it didn't happen. So, the second time, you came into the shower with no hair, like this. I thought you'd shaved. But then when you were in the shower, you were – playing around a little. And you grew hair down there all of a sudden, and then you turned it a few colors. When I'd gotten over that transfixing sight I figured out pretty fast it was an intrinsic ability."

She tried to think when it might have been. She did that kind of thing from time to time. A lot more of it before she'd discovered all these new things to do. It didn't really matter anyway.

"Caleb," she said, putting her hand on his. "What do you think I was doing all afternoon? It was like a candy store for me, though a poorly stocked one, since I only saw one girl. Why should you be more embarrassed than I am? I mean, maybe I should be embarrassed too, but I'm going to choose not to be. And I don't want you to be embarrassed about it either. I meant what I said about going together, if you want."

He just shook his head. But he managed a smile for her.

"Let's stop talking about it for now," he said. "You're right here and I want to make you feel good."

He moved his fingers and Tonks opened her legs wider. When he touched her, it was so light she wanted to scream. Kat would like that. But she had Tonks' pussy, and given all his worries she didn't want to complicate things for Caleb.

"Harder," she said. Why was it so hard to say that? "Harder. I'll tell you if it's working or not."

He obligingly pressed harder, and it felt good. Really good. He didn't know what she liked yet, but she'd teach him. When he accidentally brushed her clit, she groaned.

"Is this your clitoris?" 

It was a crazy question. Surely it was obvious. Or was she so freakishly big that he didn't recognize it? Or – no, he was a poor, inexperienced guy, doing his best to make her feel good.

"Yeah," she said. "That's where the action is for me. Not too much pressure, but not too light either. Run your fingers over the whole area, and pick out a pattern."

He did as she asked and it was good. She lay back and tried to relax, but she was so tense. It was her magic. She'd gotten so used to tweaking things around when she did this, it was almost unfamiliar to be stuck with her old body's ordinary responses. It had always taken her a long time with just her fingers. But it was so lovely to have someone else do it, so maybe that would be enough.

Fifteen minutes later, even Caleb had realized this wasn't working. He started doing other things, like putting a finger inside her, and that was nice, but he looked disappointed that it wasn't the magic key.

She didn't regret what she'd done with her breasts. It made her smile to look at them. But it was taking concentration to keep them just so, and more concentration not to change anything else.

"Do you want me to try my tongue?" Caleb sounded really nervous.

"Merlin, yes," she said. She should have asked a long time ago. Why was she so nervous about asking?

She scooted further up the couch and Caleb leaned in at what looked to be an uncomfortable angle. He wrapped his arm around her ass, and then his tongue touched her.

Whoa. It really was as good as everyone said. He licked up and down the sides of her clit, then right over the middle, and flicked her inner lips gently. He kissed her, a passionate open-mouthed affair like they'd done with their mouths, and his lips and tongue ignited little fires everywhere.

"Please, Caleb, more," she said, and he gave her more. Her body hummed and her breathing deepened. She thought for sure she was going to come, but somehow everything just stayed there. It was wonderful, the best thing she'd ever felt with another person, but she wasn't going to get a release. It wasn't fair.

Finally his tongue gave out and he had to take a little break. He must have been at it forty minutes. 

"I'm sorry," he said. "I know I'm no good at this."

"Totally the opposite," said Tonks. "It feels wonderful. I – well, it's not always easy for me to come even with my own fingers. And I've never had someone use their tongue. Probably I need to relax and get used to it."

She looked down at Caleb. His dick was much smaller now, dangling in a funny way. She had a sudden bit of a fantasy flash into her head, one where she was sitting right down on a guy's cock. What the hell – maybe this was what she needed. And the thought of getting that cock into her was dirty in the best possible way.

She leaned into him and started to kiss him on the mouth, all the while working her hands down to his ass and his dick. He was already stiffening by the time she encircled him, and so she quickly leaned over to take him into her mouth.

"Oh, Merlin, Tonks," he said. His fingernails scratched lightly on her back. His dick rapidly expanded in her mouth, and soon she was finding it just as difficult to do very much with it. But she had a good idea now.

"Lie down," she said. "I want to get on top of you. If it's OK."

Caleb breathed deeply and then nodded, smiling wonderingly.

"I couldn't think of a better person as my first," he said.

"Me neither," said Tonks. "Except I mean, you. Not me. Oh, just lie down."

He lay back. 

"Can I take off your shirt?" Tonks wanted to feel his skin against hers.

Caleb frowned and struggled with something. "Can I leave it on this time?" 

She nodded. Of course. He was entitled to be shy. He must have spent his life hiding those scars. She wished she could convince him he was beautiful.

Merlin, his dick looked bigger than ever, jutting into the air, back towards his stomach. Just a bit of a curve and a twist. It was beautiful, and it was a little intimidating. She kissed the tip gently and Caleb moaned again.

She straddled him and put one hand on his good shoulder, the other on the couch. Caleb stared at her with a simple adoration that sent warm ripples through her. She moved her hips forward and touched the head to her slit.

She was so wet. That was good. She knew she'd need to get him really slippery. Carefully she trapped the end of his dick against her and began to slide, letting the tip massage her clit. It was a heavenly feeling, and Caleb obviously thought so as well.

"Ready?" she asked, and Caleb bit his lip and nodded.

"Try to stay still," she said. "I don't know how easy this will be for me."

"I don't want to hurt you," said Caleb.

"You won't," said Tonks. Though she was having doubts now.

She pressed against him, trying to relax. She'd broken her hymen years ago with her fingers, so that wasn't the problem. But he was so big. She'd put three fingers inside herself a couple times, but this was something else.

She cringed as she remembered the sex talk her mother had given her a couple years back. It was much worse than she'd expected, because her mother knew full well that Tonks already knew the basics. It was a talk about actual *sex*, not about where babies came from. But her mother had said something that stuck with her: she could adjust to any guy. Women had children. She could fit Caleb's beautiful dick inside her, if she could just relax.

She rocked gently back and forth. Caleb had his eyes closed, so maybe she could chance it. A little *push*, hardly enough to be visible, and her clit tingled. A few more of those and she spasmed slightly, but then she relaxed, and just maybe –

She let more of her weight down, shifting slightly, and then it started.

"Oh, Tonks," Caleb murmured. He'd opened his eyes again and was watching his dick slowly slide into her. When the head was all the way in, it went faster. Tonks stopped briefly after another inch or two and tried to breathe.

"Are you OK?" he asked.

"I'm good," she said faintly. "Really good. It's just so big. I've never felt anything like this."

"If you need to stop I'll understand," he said, but she shook her head.

She lifted up a little and then settled down again. This time she let herself keep going, and it was extraordinary, like being stuffed with dinner. She was getting hungry. On the menu: Caleb-stuffed Tonks. She started to giggle. 

Caleb looked at her with confusion. Laughing wasn't good during sex. She was really bad at this.

"This feels wonderful," she said again.

Something bumped deep in her, not entirely pleasantly. She looked down. There were several inches of Caleb dick left to get in her. She must be angled wrong. Gently she pulled up, then pressed down again more firmly.

This time she grunted when it happened. She tried one more time, and a warm hand settled on her ass, stopping her.

"I think that's as far as it goes," he said. 

"No," said Tonks. "That's not right. I should be able to do this."

"Why?" asked Caleb. "I mean, maybe you're not built that way. But it feels wonderful to me. Indescribably good."

It felt all right to Tonks. No, better than all right. She liked it. But she loved the idea more than the reality. And she was so frustrated. Her stupid body had found another way to sabotage her. But she smiled at him, and they started to fuck.

It felt good. She had to admit she'd taken a lot of him inside. She was starting to think it was Caleb's unusual size that was the difficulty rather than anything weird about her anatomy. And there was something shockingly erotic about watching that big dick disappear into her. Once Caleb got his knees up right, she didn't have to worry about hitting her cervix.

But however much she was starting to enjoy it, Caleb was in heaven. He'd started to moan and buck his hips against her. She savored the feeling that came with drawing that sound out of a man. She was sexy, and this was the evidence. Caleb was a wonderful man and she wasn't a virgin anymore. It was a good feeling. 

Caleb suddenly increased his thrusting, managing to bump her uncomfortably again once or twice. "I'm coming, he whispered hoarsely, and she stroked his face.

This orgasm seemed to last even longer than the first one, though when it was all over she didn't think he'd pumped as much inside of her. She leaned forward carefully to kiss him, and he kissed back with a desperate ferocity.

"That was amazing," he said. "I've never felt anything so – it was even better than when you used your mouth."

Tonks smiled. He was so happy. 

"It was great," she said, and she meant it. He even felt good just lying inside her, slowly softening. But maybe something was missing in her tone. Caleb's face started to fall.

"Did you come at all?" he asked.

She paused, trying not to react for a second. Did he have any idea what it was like when a woman came? He couldn't have missed even the least dramatic version of a Tonks orgasm. But that was unfair. Women were different, as she well knew, and he had no experience.

"No," she said. "But that doesn't mean I didn't enjoy it!"

Caleb didn't seem particularly mollified by that.

"Can I try again?" he said. "I feel really selfish. I want to make you feel good."

"Why don't we take a break," she said. "Just kiss for a while."

She pulled herself off of him, and then they had an amusing little attempt at cleaning. Unsurprisingly Caleb knew the best combination of spells. As the semen disappeared her pussy tingled slightly, not unpleasantly.

They kissed for a while, and it was really nice, but it felt like something had gone wrong. Caleb was unhappy that she hadn't seemed to enjoy things as much as he had. And for all that Tonks kept trying to reassure him, she felt like there was something wrong with her.

It was her magic, she realized. She was holding onto it so tightly that she couldn't let herself relax. She wasn't going to be able to orgasm feeling like this. But she didn't know how to explain it to Caleb.

She sighed.

"The truth is I'm really tense, Caleb. You keep telling me how great a body I have, and I really wanted to believe it, but I've spent a long time not thinking about myself that way."

Caleb stroked her neck. "You are beautiful," he said. "I knew it from the first time I saw you. Not in the shower! I mean, just your face. The way you carry yourself. I wish I'd had the guts to get to know you sooner."

She should tell him. He would understand. She opened her mouth, and she couldn't do it. But maybe she could get part of the way there.

"Could I turn off the lights?" she said. "Caleb, I know you want to give me an orgasm, and you will. I had a really nice time even without it. But, if you don't mind, I could do it for myself here, while you held me. Does that sound all right?"

Caleb kissed her on the cheek. "That sounds better than all right. That sounds hot."

Tonks smiled. It was going to be all right. She'd tell Caleb what she was doing, just not right now. She muttered a spell and the lights went out.

"You did that without your wand," Caleb said in the dark. "That's – wow."

"Funny you should say that," she said. "Sometimes I use my wand to help me come. Vibrations are good, you know. But right now I think I'm worked up enough from everything we did, if I can relax."

She felt for him and before long she'd settled against his chest, his arm wrapped around her stomach. She spread her legs and began to touch herself.

Nothing fancy. Once she'd relaxed enough she'd borrow Kat's parts and do her usual little pulsing rhythm.

Caleb's hand drifted higher and suddenly he pinched a nipple. She gasped, and then cut of his apology.

"Do that again," she said.

He did it again, and then he did the other breast. He repeated it, unpredictably, like a little game, and she loved it. In the comforting dark his unexpected touches loosened something, and she had her magic in hand again.

Avoid the breasts. But down lower … she *pushed* and had all of Kat's pussy to play with. She flicked her fingers ever so lightly toward Kat's clit, never touching. The new sensations were like dry kindling to her libido. She moaned. Behind her Caleb sucked in his breath and something bumped against her ass. His dick. He was getting hard again.

She was starting to drip with wetness again, and Kat liked things inside her. She slipped two fingers inside. Kat would probably love Caleb's dick. She tried to stow that image, but she didn't really manage it. The thought was too pervertedly exciting.

It was the same as always, though: she only had the outer bit of Kat's parts. She felt the familiar soreness of her own channel not far inside. But there was some mental interaction going on. When she was wearing Kat's pussy she liked the idea of penetration more than usual. That was a heady thought. Maybe she could experiment with things she wasn't even interested in on an ordinary basis, if she borrowed the right equipment.

She was shaking a little bit. Something slippery slid over her nipple and she gasped. Caleb had wet his fingers in his mouth. She *pushed* and felt her clit engorge, bigger and bigger, all the way up to her full size. And then most of the way back again, until she found just the right range to rock, back and forth. 

Caleb was rock hard again and was pressing against her with her rhythmic contractions.

"You should touch yourself if you want," she whispered. "It would be really hot for me, if you're OK with that."

He didn't reply for a little, though he kept tweaking her nipples.

"All right," he whispered. "If you don't mind getting a little messy again?"

"I guess you can't see the puddle I've made already," she said. 

He pulled his hand away and leaned back to make enough space. But as she felt him start to stroke, he kissed her on the shoulders and back. It was so sweet, and all the while she was doing this really perverted stuff. But it felt so wonderful.

"I'm going to come soon," she said. He kissed her harder, and then took a break from masturbating to run a hand down her back. All the way down, ending at her ass crack. She shivered when he got there, so he did it again, sending his finger dangerously lower.

The third time he touched her asshole, and she screamed as the world exploded. 

She tried to catch her breath. Dimly she heard Caleb moaning and felt him shudder against her, cum splashing on her back. He leaned forward and held her, kissing her and breathing heavily.

Her orgasm was still going, fading very slowly until finally touching herself didn't seem to help anymore. She pulled her fingers away and let her pussy relax back to her own. 

"That was the hottest thing I've *ever* been part of," said Caleb. "Do you always scream that way? Merlin, now I'm kind of jealous."

She sighed and leaned back against him. On an impulse she lifted the fingers coated in her juices back to find his lips. He opened his mouth and licked them as she'd hoped, leaving her fingers tingling.

"Whoa," he said. "You taste – a little different."

She had a sudden terror. He was tasting Kat! But no, she'd have noticed that kind of difference herself.

"Yeah, that happens when I'm nearing orgasm," she said. She rolled slightly, lying against him sideways. His shirt was a total mess. Everything was a mess, and she didn't care. But other mundane needs intervened.

"I've got to use the bathroom," she said.

"Lucky this place comes with one," he said. "Just like our first date here. Except I didn't get off that time."

She made a face at him before finding her way to the artfully disguised stalls. She was glad Caleb was relaxing enough to tease her. She did some cleaning spells along with her body's other business, and things began to tingle again. It didn't surprise her too much. But she really just wanted to masturbate more by herself, maybe try out even more of her body experimentation. It didn't feel fair to Caleb. 

When she got back he'd done a decent job of cleaning things and put on his underwear. She picked up her own discarded underwear and felt a hand on her wrist.

"Are you sure you don't want some more attention? I feel like I got a lot more, uh, satisfaction. And I thought girls …" Caleb trailed off uncomfortably.

"Oh, it depends," Tonks said uncomfortably. "And that was a hell of an orgasm."

Not a lie, but not the whole truth. Caleb accepted it easily enough though. She got on the couch and with some awkwardness they lay down together, him curled against her back.

She stroked his hand. She needed to say at least something. 

"Caleb, I know you liked watching me just now. Obviously it turned you on. And I'm going to assume you liked watching me before. And watching other girls. That's not an accusation, because I like watching girls too." 

Caleb lay very still against her. Not agreeing or disagreeing.

"Lately it seems hard for me to come when I'm not thinking about watching other people," she said. "So when I asked you if you'd let me join you at your personal spying spot, that was really for me."

"OK," he finally said.

"OK?" 

"OK, we'll go there together. You'll have to take it easy on me though."

"I might not have that in me," Tonks said, reaching back to stroke his face. He was relaxing again.

"I wish you'd conjured a bed," he said. "I want to spend the night with you. Just cuddled up like this."

"Is that all you want?" Tonks was already thinking ahead to the sex they were going to have in his secret place. So many possibilities …

He sighed and stroked her stomach.

"Right now, I think it actually is," he said. "I want to smell you and hold you and know that you'll still be there when I wake up."

Tonks felt guilty again. "I want that too," she said. "Next time I'll definitely get a bed. I could do that right now if you wanted, though if we actually wanted more space than our bunks I might have to steal one from the professors …"

Caleb coughed. "Wait, you Summoned all these things? You didn't just Conjure them or Transform other things?"

"It's a lot faster. More efficient. I did Transform most of them as well, but it's a lot easier to turn a couch into a slightly different couch. And if I Conjured them they probably wouldn't last through me sleeping or getting distracted because we're fucking. Didn't you learn that?"

He coughed and shook his head. "I think I missed some lessons, moving around the way we did. And I was never such a good student. It's worse for Ruella. She wants to be an Auror, but you of all people know how hard that is, and she's – well, I have the highest faith in her, but we haven't been able to give her the best. Not until now, and I know she's getting desperate with her O.W.L.'s coming."

Tonks remembered that feeling perfectly well. 

"Maybe I could provide some support or study tips," she said. 

"I know she'd appreciate it." Caleb stretched slightly. "Yeah, this couch really isn't going to work. And I *really* need that shower now. Maybe we can plan things in advance next time."

"Yeah, I'd like that." They got themselves off the couch and Tonks retrieved her wand. A few more cleaning spells, and then a quick round of Transfiguring and returning things where they belonged. She was pretty sure she'd gotten it right, though she suspected she'd switched some of the wall hangings. But Hogwarts often did that all on its own, so probably no one would notice.

"I love watching you do magic," said Caleb. "You're beautiful. An artist. Like you're making the universe want to do things for you."

"You're just saying that because you like me," she said, but she kissed him anyway, because she'd never had anyone say things like that about her.

When they finished dressing they kissed one last time.

"So, want to get together tomorrow morning? In time for the big rush at the showers?" Even thinking about it made Tonks a little wet.

It took Caleb a minute to catch up.

"Oh," he said. "Uh, sure, I guess. That sounds like an eventful way to start the day."

He'd love it too, she knew. Once he really understood how much she liked it. Once she got up the nerve to show him what she could do with her body already, and once he realized that with her help he could do more than just watch …

* * * 

It was later than she'd realized. As they approached Hufflepuff, another pair came quietly around the corner.

It was Berella, and Charlie Weasley of all people. The two looked distinctly uncomfortable. Obviously trying to keep things quiet. 

"Hey," Tonks said softly.

"Hi Tonks," said Berella. "I was out on a walk, and I just ran into Charlie –"

"My lips are sealed," said Tonks. "Not a word. Especially to Tomoko."

Berella smiled broadly and Charlie relaxed as well. 

"You guys have a good night, then," said Berella, and the other pair continued on their way.

There were only a couple folks in the Hufflepuff common room, and the two of them didn't attract much attention. Their secret was pretty well out, anyway. They had a brief kiss and headed to their separate dorms.

Tonks needed that shower, and for more than just getting clean. She wouldn't be able to sleep if she didn't work out a little of her anticipation for tomorrow. She got to her room and opened the door. Tomoko looked up and smiled.

"Hey Tonks," she said. "You have a nice evening? Out on a date with Caleb?"

No use denying it. And she was feeling kindly towards her roommate after her moral support at dinner.

"Yeah," she said. "We – it was nice. I like him." She felt herself turning red and looked away from Tomoko's happy smile, walking over quickly to get her towel and pajamas. When she turned around, Tomoko wrinkled her nose slightly, and Tonks suddenly knew she'd put off the shower too long. 

"Tonks," Tomoko said softly. "You and Caleb – oh, that's so great. Merlin, you'll have to tell me all the details!"

"Tomoko!" Tonks said sharply, blushing more deeply. Her roommate giggled.

"Sorry, Tonks," she said. "I'll keep quiet. Really. I know I can be a pest. Maybe I'm just horny and trying to live vicariously. Obviously Berella's gone again, and I swear she's been sneaking off to meet some guy."

"Tomoko, I like you and I'm beyond grateful for how you helped me for the party, but … let's just pretend we're not having this conversation," said Tonks. She headed towards the door.

"You deserve to be happy," Tomoko said. "That's all that really matters to me."

"Thanks, Tomoko," said Tonks. "And I have no doubt you'll find the right guy soon." 

It was busy in the showers, but she didn't have the energy to set up her complicated spying spell, not with tomorrow looming in her imagination. Instead she sat down under the warm water and let her mind fasten on whatever seemed to excite her. Tonight, it seemed to be Tomoko. She supposed that was predictable enough. And there was a kind of bond forming between the two of them, one that should have been there years ago. Maybe Tonks was finally learning to let people get closer.


	7. Chapter 7

Six o'clock: she never got up this early, not even on a school day. Berella hadn't come back last night, and Tomoko was still sound asleep. She and Caleb had vaguely planned to get breakfast afterwards, but she already realized that wasn't going to cut it. Supposedly there was plenty of breakfast even this early in the morning, though she'd never tested it.

It turned out everyone was right. The eggs were wonderful, and the muffins less stale than when she usually tried to grab them at closer to a lunch hour. She pilfered a whole bunch of them for extra sustenance and then ate another sausage just in case. It was time to meet Caleb.

He was already sitting nervously in the common room, looking up to her as she came in. 

"Muffins?" she asked, and he smiled slightly when she pulled out one slightly squashed one. 

"I'm glad you got food already," he said. "I'm kind of too nervous."

"It'll be fine," she said. "Trust me on this." She leaned over and whispered in his ear. "You should realize by now that I am a total pervert."

Caleb snorted and gave her a peck on the cheek. But he seemed more relaxed. Tonks, on the other hand – well, she'd thought she had it all planned out. But her stomach was roiling. Last night's fantasies didn't seem quite as realistic in the morning's light. 

"I guess we should get going, then," he said. She let him lead the way. When they got into the closet, she cast her Oculus spell right off.

"I'm going to teach you the key," he said. "You should come here any time you want. I know how much you want to."

Tonks grabbed Caleb in an awkward hug amongst the barrels.

"That is incredibly generous," she said, trying not to cry. "This is your space. Just tell me if you need your own time set aside." His simple trust shamed her. He deserved the same from her. She would show him what she was doing. And she would show him her plain, true body. It wasn't like he hadn't seen it before. He must already have been a little surprised by her boobs.

Caleb nodded and kissed her. He was at least as nervous as she was.

The opening sequence was a lot more complicated than the closing one, but she'd always been good at this kind of thing. She checked her memory as he repeated it.

"All right, let me have a go," she said. She opened it on the first try and felt a private satisfaction.

"I really have the cleverest girlfriend," Caleb said.

Inside, it was exactly as she remembered. She eagerly led the way around the bend and heard the telltale sound of the showers. 

There was one woman already in one of the Hufflepuff stalls, and she moved eagerly forward. Selena, a popular fifth-year girl. She was nearly dressed, and shortly Tonks realized she was on her way out. Well, maybe it was better this way. Tonks started to take off her clothes. She dropped her robe and shirt over to the side on the bench. Surely Caleb must already realize how small her ordinary breasts were compared with yesterday. He must have done the math.

"Tonks," Caleb said softly. "I think I'm OK with this but I'm nervous as hell. Can we snog for a while, maybe help me relax?"

"Of course," she said, feeling like a cad once again. What was wrong with her? The truth was she was nervous as well. Maybe she was trying to cover it up.

They hugged and their lips met. Caleb might be nervous, but he obviously liked this. So did Tonks. She heard the sounds of more people coming in and kept sneaking glances, but nothing panned out. She put her hands on Caleb's ass and pulled him closer, and he sighed. She started to feel the telltale bulge between them, so she figured something was going right.

She should start to explain now. Any time. He brushed his hands down her bare back, slipping fingers under her bra strap – but he was just teasing. Her breath quickened.

Finally she pulled slightly away from him. She thought someone was in the Slytherin shower now, but they couldn't see that from here. Never mind, anyway. 

"Caleb, this is hard to explain. It's what I'm embarrassed by. Oh, Merlin, let me just show you."

She undid her bra. She'd like to think her boobs popped out, but the truth was she didn't really have enough for that.

He smiled tentatively when he looked at her.

"You're beautiful," he said. "Yes, I thought you'd made them bigger yesterday. And I like them fine as they are."

"Oh," she said. He was so nice about her body. And then he leaned over and kissed her, right on her nipple, and she made a surprised little gasp.

"I'm not just saying that," he said. "I really like them. You don't have to be embarrassed by your body."

She sighed and gently let go, feeling the small magic she used on her hair disappear. On all her hair. She had a pretty full bush right now, since she only shaved her natural hair haphazardly.

"I like your hair, too," he said, running his hands through her shoulder-length hair.

She kissed him, and then he started to lick her tits, and she felt awful, because she'd let him miss the point.

The point. Hah. Fuck it, she could do this. She *pushed* and popped out Berella's long, pointed nipples, right as Caleb encircled one with his tongue. He started and pulled away.

"Wha – whoa!" he said, looking at her breast. "Oh. I guess you can do that too? That's pretty amazing."

She shook her head. "Caleb, I can do a lot more than that. And the thing is, *this is what gets me off*."

A smile broke over Caleb's face and he pulled one of her nipples into his mouth. Berella's nipples. She sighed, because it felt really good and he'd taken it so easily. Then she realized she hadn't been explicit enough.

"Wait, Caleb. I mean, it's not the nipples specifically. Though that feels really good. It's the change. Using my magic like this, to borrow parts of people I know, that's what gets me off."

Caleb blinked and looked back at her nipples.

"Oh," he said nervously. "Oh. So those are –"

"Berella's nipples," she said.

"Ah," he said, swallowing nervously. And then he kissed her, on the lips. Afterwards, he looked at her seriously.

"So those are another girl's nipples you're wearing? And you had me lick them?"

"Uh, you kind of did that on your own." She wasn't sure where this was going.

"Good point." He looked at her a little longer, and then couldn't hold back his giggling. He stifled the laugh by putting his mouth over her nipple again.

She started to relax. Carefully, she let the nipple back a bit, then *pushed*. A few repeats. Caleb kept right at what he was doing, and it felt amazing.

"Caleb," she murmured. "Thank you. I thought maybe you wouldn't – I don't know. This is OK for you?"

He stood up straighter and pulled her into a hug.

"This is OK," he said. "A little hard to wrap my mind around. So, when you suggested those boobs at the party were Kat's boobs, you were kind of serious, weren't you?"

"Yeah," she said. "Of course I didn't go the whole way. I didn't want to be too obvious about it."

Caleb started to laugh. "I guess it was on the outer edge of plausibility. If I hadn't already seen you naked, at least. And it did get everyone's attention. But you don't need to do that for me."

She nodded, and then he kissed the other nipple and she didn't think about much for a while.

"That was different," he said, looking at her breast curiously. Oh.

"Uh, that's Kat's nipple. Pretty much. I mix them all in sometimes."

He looked at the nipple for a while. And she could tell it was turning him on. 

"How – how much else can you change?" he asked softly.

She reached to stroke his hard dick through his trousers, and she leaned to whisper in his ear.

"Almost everything," she said.

"Holy shit," he said softly.

"But don't get too excited just yet," she said. "This is new to me, just like I said. And it takes a lot of energy to change a lot. That's why I've been eating so much. I've only tried once so far to really change my body shape."

Something had distracted Caleb.

"Uh, you'll have to tell me about it," he said. "We've got a guest."

She quickly looked. It was Alexa, his redheaded teammate. Still in her pajamas. Oh, this should be wonderful. Tonks could feel herself getting wet. She quickly pulled off her trousers and leaned against Caleb.

"Are you excited?" She asked him.

"Yeah," he said. "And kind of terrified, still."

"You must have seen her before, though," she said. Caleb sighed.

"Actually, no. The thing is –"

Alexa had hung up her bag and towel and now she started to unbutton her top. Caleb stared.

"I feel so guilty every time," he whispered. "I tell myself I won't come back again, and sometimes I don't for a long while."

"But you said you'd seen me a couple times," Tonks said.

"Yeah," he said. "Well, I'll admit after I saw you the first time I tended to go at that hour again."

"So you've never seen Alexa's boobs?" Tonks whispered. Caleb shook his head, and they both watched as she pulled off her top and hung it up.

She was freckled all over her chest, right down to her bra. And when she pulled that off, they saw it didn't stop there.

"Merlin," whispered Caleb.

Tonks quietly *pushed* and stole those brilliant pink nipples. And because Caleb was so entranced, she took a deep breath and *pushed* more strongly.

Alexa's boobs weren't too big, though of course she was bigger and more muscular than Tonks. But they were still bigger than Tonks', like pretty much every girl's boobs. Tonks tried to relax, the way she had with Manuela. Don't use more energy than she had to. She didn't want to wind up shorter for the sake of some boobs, though. In a few seconds she felt things shift, and then she had it.

She didn't have too much extra flesh to spare around her sides, but it was enough. It hadn't taken much, anyway. And now she had a really pretty pair of freckled boobs, with tiny pink areolae and those shocking nipples. With a little effort she sprinkled some more freckles on her chest to top it off.

Alexa finished hanging up her bra and pulled off her bottoms. Caleb was glued to the sight.

"Hey," she said. "Check it out." She took his hand and put it right on her boob.

He looked at her and did a double-take.

"Oh. Wow. That's –"

Gently, he felt for her nipple. And then he quickly leaned over to swirl his tongue around it, just as he had been doing.

It felt nice. Nothing special, though.

"Try – I don't know. Try biting it."

He obliged, giving her a light nibble. A little tingle went through her breast.

"Harder," she said. "Much harder."

He bit just a little harder. It was good. "No, I mean it, Caleb, really do it."

He squeezed it, harder and harder between his teeth."

"Oh, shit, that's great. No more," she said. And she watched Alexa finish undressing. She'd never seen red pubic hair, though of course she'd played around with it on her own. 

"Look," she said, and Caleb sighed as his teammate moved to turn the shower on.

"So I guess we know what Alexa wants," Tonks said.

Caleb sucked in his breath. "Really? Are you sure?"

"Pretty sure," she said. "I would never want that on my own nipples. And Tomoko wouldn't either. So where else would differences like that come from? I assume I get some of their nerve response along with everything else."

"I've never heard of a Transformation working that well," he said softly. "That's – incredible." He couldn't get his eyes off Alexa, though.

"She's beautiful, isn't she," said Tonks.

"No! I mean, I guess," said Caleb. "But you don't need to – I mean, you shouldn't be jealous. I like the way you look better. I like your body."

He was nervous again. Tonks didn't want that.

"Let's just watch her together," she said, leaning against Caleb. "I want to make sure I get all the details right."

Caleb swallowed and put his arm around her.

Of course watching wasn't really enough. She began to stroke him gently, over his trousers, and he sighed. Finally he undid the button and she greedily delved inside to pull out his massive dick.

It looked so obscene sticking out the top of his underwear that she left it there for a while, lightly brushing her fingertips over the head.

"Too much," Caleb said. "Or too little. I don't know. The tip's really sensitive."

Tonks carefully pulled his underwear and trousers down further, and Caleb sighed and stepped out of them. Not long after Tonks wrapped her hand around him, Alexa finally turned as she washed and gave the best view yet of her pussy.

Tonks had everything she needed now. She closed her eyes and felt her pussy lengthen, the outer lips becoming surprisingly engorged with her excitement. She took a deep breath and imagined Alexa's pale, firm, muscled ass, and that soft orange hair trailing all the way back towards her asshole. She *pushed*, and she couldn't reshape herself enough. She'd have to lose too much flesh elsewhere, or get shorter, but when she tried that her body resisted. Alexa was just bigger than she was. It would have to be like Kat's tits. She *pushed* as hard as she could, using pure magic, and she finally got there. She must be getting more efficient, but she knew she couldn't maintain this for that long.

Quickly she stepped out of her underwear and walked in front of Caleb. She bent forward, leaning on the front wall and sticking her ass back at Caleb. She could still just see Alexa.

"Fuck me," she told him.

Maybe she'd stepped over the line. She didn't hear or feel anything from him. And then something enormous poked at her ass.

"Sorry," he whispered when she jumped. "This is a hard angle."

She stood up on her toes, and he got it closer, but this wasn't going to work. She needed a box or something.

"Give me my wand," she hissed. When she had it, she carefully Summoned what she needed. Nothing happened.

"That probably won't work," Caleb said. His dick bumped pleasantly and awkwardly at her again. "This room is really well warded. I think that's why no one's discovered it in all this time."

Ridiculous. She knew people fucked like this. She looked to the side and saw the chair. 

Three seconds later she stepped onto a comfortable new step, just the right height. She hoped. If it wasn't she'd fix it.

She leaned forward again. Alexa was finishing her shower. Tonks pinched her pink nipple, even letting her fingernail dig in. And then Caleb entered her.

The angle was perfect. He was so careful, and he stopped just so. She was more sore than she'd realized from yesterday, but it was all right. He was fucking her, and he was fucking Alexa. She watched Alexa start to dry herself off and imagined what he was seeing. She imagined fucking Alexa this way herself, with a huge dick like Caleb's, and it was like a lightning bolt went through her. Was that any bigger a change than other things she'd done? It seemed like it must be, but –

Caleb was moaning in pleasure behind her, and she set those unnerving thoughts aside for later. Because he felt wonderful, right now, and it seemed as though this body agreed.

"Alexa likes this," she said softly. "As far as I can tell, at least."

"Tonks," Caleb moaned. "I – can you change back? This is starting to get too – I don't know. You do what you need to enjoy it though. Are you enjoying it?"

"Oh, Merlin, yes," she said, and then she let go of her magic.

It was a little too fast. She was tired. Caleb grunted in surprise as her ass changed shape, and one thrust went a little askew, causing her to wince. But then she had her body back, even her ordinary brown bush and tiny tits. 

"You're so beautiful," he said again. "I'm getting close, Tonks."

Quickly she got herself back into her old routine. A little change of her clit, a bit of a swell in her boobs. She dropped a hand down to help herself. Her legs were shaking and she suddenly wished she had Alexa's powerful ass back. That strength had felt amazing. 

Caleb leaned further over her and gently stroked her/Kat's nipples, and it was as though a great hand lifted her high above everything.

"Oh, Caleb," she sighed, and this time it was a long roll of an orgasm, great ocean waves filling her body and soul. Caleb cried her name and she felt the hot spurts entering her, and her orgasm kept on. He gamely pumped into her even well past his own orgasm, his dick softening slightly but still sliding tightly. In, out, in, out.

She put her hand back to stop him finally, and they uncoupled. Tonks, of course, fell on the floor. At least it was soft.

He flopped down next to her and stroked her side.

"You OK?"

"That was amazing," she said. "Amazing."

"Yeah," said Caleb. "I can't believe it, but you're even sexier than I realized."

They lay there a while.

"Did she go?" 

"Yeah," said Caleb. "Around when you came."

They started laughing, and Caleb spooned against her. It wasn't much worse than the couch yesterday. She called her wand to her hand, and shortly reduced the chair/bench into some pillows.

"A man could get used to this," Caleb said as they rearranged themselves.

"That's the idea," she said. "So, you think you'll be able to look at Alexa the same way now?"

"Not a chance," said Caleb. "But I have some experience with that. It'll pass."

"Good to hear," said Tonks. "I'm newer at it. I know I'll be staring at her ass and thinking about your dick and how good it would look …"

"Don't remind me," he said. "Or, do remind me, but not right this minute. Sorry I had that moment. I loved it, don't get me wrong, but it was kind of intense."

"Yeah," said Tonks. "Actually, it's the change that really does it for me. The new things, the mixing up. So maybe there's a good compromise in there for us."

"Us," he said wonderingly. "Us. Yeah, this is going to work, isn't it?"

"Yeah," she mumbled, suddenly lightheaded. "*Accio muffins!!*"

Caleb ducked as the muffin swarm emerged from her robe. After cramming two into her mouth she was  
feeling better.

"Alexa has a big ass," she said by way of explanation. She popped another muffin in her mouth. "A big, gorgeous ass," she mumbled.

"So it's harder making physically bigger changes? Of course, that makes sense," he said. "And I'm still not thinking about her ass."

"Yeah," she said. "It's a lot like ordinary Transformation. Moving matter around is easier than making. I even changed my whole shape a lot to match Manuela, because apparently we weigh close to the same. But making more flesh is hard. That time I managed to make Kat's boobs full-sized was –"

She started to laugh.

"Did it work?" Caleb asked. He failed to disguise the eagerness in his voice, and she smiled. Good to know.

"Oh, it worked. It was quite a sight. And I'm so incredibly glad I did it."

"Why?"

"Because, you beautiful man, it's what put me in the infirmary that time."

"Oh. Oh." Caleb said, and then started to laugh as well. "But you didn't have immense boobs then. I would have noticed."

"Glad to hear," she said. "It was more like I got a muscle cramp in my magic. That's the way Pomfrey explained it. She said it would go away on its own, and she was right. But for a day and a half I had one boob a little too big. I thought it might be something permanent, and she was the first one I ever had to tell about my magic. Only my parents knew."

"No wonder you were so scared," he said. "I'm glad Pomfrey knows, though. She's smart. Did she give any other useful advice?"

"Not really," Tonks said. "She doesn't know anyone else who can do what I can. She told me to go home and play with myself. Not in quite so many words."

Caleb snorted. "That sounds like Pomfrey." 

They lay there a while, and then they heard some faint rustling sounds from the showers.

"Caleb," she murmured, stroking his hair. "I'm hungry."

"Uh huh."

"But I'm more horny. So let's get up and see."

She was in the Slytherin shower vestibule, a tiny fifth or sixth year Tonks didn't know. But she was Slytherin. Tonks could see the scowl hiding under that mousy expression, the glossy scales under the dirty blond hair. Maybe. The truth was she just looked tired, kind of like Tonks did when she got up most mornings.

She held Caleb's hand as they watched the girl rummage around blearily and then start to undress.

Caleb's dick hung down when he wasn't actively excited. Tonks was amused to realize she hadn't seen him that way much yet. And he didn't stay that way very long. The Slytherin girl pulled her top off and revealed a slim chest with boobs even smaller than Tonks. No bra – well, Tonks often dispensed with it when she was sleeping. It seemed to be a surprise for Caleb, though. She watched in fascination as his dick rapidly hardened and began to turn upwards.

"That must be annoying sometimes, in your trousers. The way it changes," she said. She took hold of his dick and he sighed.

"You have no idea," he said. "I actually worked out a spell to help everything shift around without having to use my hands. It's the only spell I know well enough to do wandless and silent. It gets a lot of practice.

Tonks laughed. "That's clever." 

She was fascinated by his dick. There was a big vein curling around to the head. Of course you'd need a lot of blood flow. She lightly brushed her fingers lower, until finally she grazed his balls. He held very still, but he didn't seem to dislike it. She put her hand underneath them and let them rest on her palm.

"Gentle," he said. "They're really sensitive."

"I know that, silly," she said. "Do you want me to lick them?"

His whole dick jerked, and he nodded vigorously.

She knelt in front of him and tilted her chin up to give him an experimental kiss.

"That's nice," Caleb said. He gave her more sounds of approval when she ran her tongue around, occasionally licking up along the base of his dick. She needed a longer tongue. She didn't think she'd ever altered it. It felt like the kind of thing she needed closer inspection to manage. Like with Kat, except that she hadn't been paying the right kind of attention that time. She supposed she could try out Caleb's tongue, but it felt like she should ask his permission before she did that. Not that she'd asked anyone else their permission, but she didn't want to think about that. Maybe it was just the weirdness of using someone's body back on themself.

She couldn't keep doing this. The angle was awful on her neck. Anyway, she was getting curious again about the short Slytherin girl. Not in a sexual way, she told herself. Just in a "new body" kind of way. Maybe it would be a fun one to try on. She wasn't sure she had the distinction sharp in her mind, though.

She stood up and hugged Caleb from behind. The girl was in the shower now. She was as short as Manuela, but much thinner, with even less of an ass than Tonks. It was difficult to grow more flesh, but surely it should be easier to shrink. Tonks was small, though, and this was the first real look she'd gotten at someone smaller.

"She's cute," said Tonks. "I'm going to try borrowing her boobs."

It wasn't as easy as she suspected. Tonks felt like she was fighting her body a little. Maybe it was the big part of her that already thought her breasts were too small. But finally she managed it, and she pulled away from Caleb to examine them.

They looked kind of like her boobs used to, before that sudden spurt last year, the one that had given her all that temporary hope. But her nipples had been just as sensitive when they were smaller. She carefully brushed them the way she liked, but it didn't do much. Maybe she needed to masturbate a bit.

The girl was taking a long shower, seeming to zone out half asleep at times. That too was familiar to Tonks. She was finding it hard to keep disliking her solely on the choice of House. And precious little of that choice was hers anyway. Fucking Hat.

Her body was responding, so she tested out her nipples again. Nothing much. But when she rubbed her small breasts, it felt unusually good. She spent some time cupping and squeezing them and generally molesting herself, and it kept feeling better. Huh. Learn something every day.

Caleb had turned away from the girl to watch her. When she met his gaze, he smiled.

"You're so hot," he said.

"Don't you like looking at her, too?" she asked. "She's cute, even if she's Slytherin. I don't know her."

"She's all right," said Caleb. "But like you say, it's a lot more fun when it's someone you know."

That wasn't really what she'd said, though. She supposed it was true. But then it clicked.

"Oh," she said. "That was why Alexa was so hot for you to see."

"Yeah," he said. "It was a little intense with two of her. I was imagining you two making out like that. Probably I shouldn't have admitted that."

"That sounds nice," she said. "So do you want to ask or should I?"

Caleb looked stricken, and Tonks laughed.

"Sorry, I thought you'd know I was joking. It's a hot fantasy, but that doesn't obligate us to act on it somehow."

Caleb was relieved. "Oh, thank goodness. Tonks, you must realize how shy I am. Maybe you don't realize what a force of nature you seem to me when it comes to sex. I don't know what you're going to suggest next. It's exciting and terrifying."

"I'll try to keep on the exciting side of that," she said, reaching for his dick again.

At that moment they heard noises from the Hufflepuff side. One shared look, and they shuffled back over.

"Whoa," said Caleb. Tonks had to agree with his assessment.

Stacie and Samantha had claimed the two shower stalls. The sisters were a year apart, so close they'd even decided to room together. Tonks knew Samantha well from years of overlapping classes, and for a long time she'd mentally classified Kat simply as the third roommate.

They shared enough physical traits that sometimes people mistook them as twins. Same wavy brown hair, same average looks and figure, same little button nose. Stacie was taller by two inches, something she never failed to needle her big sister about.

Both of them were merely average students. Tonks loved them for their simple kindness to everyone, their perpetual good spirits, and their willingness to lend a hand whenever someone needed help. And secretly she loved their playful smiles with the lurking hint of naughty desires. Neither seemed to stay with a guy very long, but there wasn't any drama either. In other Houses there were some nasty rumors about the pair and what they probably did with each other in private, but Tonks couldn't see how it mattered even if it were true. They'd figured out something about life that she hadn't, something she suspected most others hadn't either.

Caleb was breathing heavily. Tonks had to admit this was kind of a jackpot. The two girls chatted over the divider, their voices filtering up to their vantage point. Nothing consequential: just the normal patter of two roommates with a whole life shared. 

They undressed almost in tandem. Tonks didn't know who she liked better. In the end she looked mostly at Samantha, because she simply knew her better. Of course there were differences. Stacie had slightly uneven boobs, while Samantha's were almost breathtakingly flawless. They hadn't trimmed their pubic hair identically, though it was close. Tonks wanted to try on some of these new features, but she was feeling so light-headed again.

"Can we fuck?" Caleb asked softly. His dick practically quivered in need.

"I … don't think so," said Tonks. "I'm turned on too, but I'm a little sore and I'm starving. Why don't you take care of yourself this time. I would love to see you do it, if you're not embarrassed. Otherwise I can help you out once I get the rest of these muffins in me …"

She was already gathering the meager remaining food. She put one arm around Caleb and stroked his chest through his shirt, away from his scars.

Caleb looked at Tonks, who smiled encouragingly, then back at the sisters, who were still chatting as they entered the showers. As she'd hoped, he accepted her invitation and wrapped his hand solidly around his dick.

She watched carefully, since of course he was the experienced one. She needed to grip him lower down, and harder than she'd been doing. Soon he started to pump himself quite a bit faster.

Tonks finished her food and moved where they could see each other. Then she borrowed Samantha's pussy and began to explore its folds. It felt comfortable and surprisingly familiar. Apparently her usual way of touching herself was quite acceptable to Samantha.

"Oh, Tonks," Caleb moaned. His hips jerked and she watched in fascination as the first blast of cum sprayed in a great arc to hit the wall. The rest of it wasn't quite as spectacular, but it seemed like a pretty solid orgasm, as much as she could judge these things. She sped up her own attempts, but something wasn't quite working. Maybe Samantha wasn't as similar to her as she thought, or maybe it was because she was starving. She reluctantly quit and let everything back to normal. She hadn't even noticed that she'd never returned the Slytherin girl's boobs. It was indeed easier to hold onto changes in that direction. Unfortunately there was also a cost to returning to her unaltered form, her magic demanding energy from her body even as she filled back out.

She breathed deeply and leaned on Caleb, who was leaning to get his wand.

"Let's get some breakfast fast," she said. "I'm starving."

* * * 

Tonks was feeling pretty weak by the time they got to the dining hall. At least Caleb was a solid support to lean on. A couple Slytherins laughed as they walked by, but they were easy enough to ignore. Someone caught her eye, and she realized it was the Slytherin girl they'd been watching. She really seemed to be a perfectly ordinary student, just waiting tiredly for her turn at the breakfast platter. Tonks was relieved the girl wasn't part of the mocking posse, though she wasn't sure why she should care.

Ruella was sitting with Tomoko, so they joined the two of them. Tonks immediately piled her plate with sausages and eggs and fruit.

Tomoko laughed happily. "I love watching you eat," she said. "I had a plump couple years as a kid, and not the most helpful parents. It's good to be reminded that food is supposed to be enjoyed."

Ruella glanced back and forth between Caleb and Tonks, clearly suspicious about something. But she smiled at them anyway.

Tomoko left shortly to do some work in the library, leaving the three of them to eat quietly. Tonks was feeling a little self-conscious about her appetite, but as always she felt better with some food. She needed a better way to have a lot of it with her, so she didn't have to cut her fun short. Of course, she was also way behind on her work again, so it was probably just as well. 

"I'm going to the library too," said Ruella after a while. 

"Can I join you?" Tonks asked on an impulse. Ruella looked surprised, but she nodded.

Caleb waved them on. He wasn't so much for studying in the library. In any case most of his work was more practical stuff, either out gathering herbs or doing weird Divination exercises that honestly seemed a little pointless to Tonks given his abilities. But he liked the work, and Tonks was discovering there were whole facets to the discipline that she knew nothing about.

They had to stop at the dorm for their materials, and Tonks did her best at making small talk about classes and such. Ruella seemed uncomfortable with that, so the trip to the library was a quiet one.

They lucked out and claimed one of her favorite study rooms, down near the end, with a window overlooking the grounds.

"I should get up early more often," she said. "I never get this spot on a weekend."

Ruella gave her an odd look as they settled down. "It's not that early," she said.

Tonks laughed. "Yeah, so I guess you see the problem then."

They pulled out their books and began their work. Tonks recognized everything from when she'd gone through it two years ago. It really had been a brutal period. After a while she caught Ruella frowning in frustration at a series of harder practice problems.

"It gets better," Tonks said. "Believe it or not those stupid O.W.L. problems are some of the worst things I had to get through."

"They're totally unrealistic," said Ruella.

"Exactly," said Tonks. "Just hoops they make us all jump through to prove we want it enough or something."

"Easy for you to say," said Ruella. "Everyone knows you're best in class."

Tonks sighed. "And I wasn't always best in my class. Sometimes I think I just outlasted everyone. Maybe that's what they're selecting for."

"That's dumb," said Ruella. "You need so many practical skills to be an Auror. Iselia doesn't even let us try out the simplest hexes in class, and I don't have anyone to practice my active spellwork with. Apparently I scare off my classmates or something."

Tonks laughed sympathetically. "That's why I started coloring my hair," she said. "If everyone was going to treat me like an awkward freak, I might as well fulfill expectations. And I'll practice with you if you want. I feel like I'm getting rusty and I certainly could use the exercise."

Ruella looked at her with hope and sudden suspicion.

"Did Caleb put you up to this?" she asked tersely.

"No," she said. "Not directly. He did say you were frustrated with classwork, and I remember feeling exactly that way when I was where you are."

She relaxed a little and favored Tonks with her rare smile. "I'd like that, I suppose. If it's not too much trouble –"

"Not at all," said Tonks.

It was near lunchtime when Ruella broke the silence again.

"Are you and Caleb having sex?"

Tonks blushed and coughed slightly. At least the study rooms were protected against eavesdropping.

"I don't think that's your business," she said gently.

Ruella didn't seem particularly surprised by the response.

"I think he'd kind of been assuming it wasn't going to happen," she said. "He gets that way, you know, this kind of fatalism about him. Anyway, I'm so glad it was you. He's so sweet and – well. I didn't want him to make a mistake because he felt desperate."

She lapsed into brooding silence.

"Ruella," Tonks ventured. "Is there something you need to talk about?"

The younger woman didn't look at her for a while.

"Did you enjoy it, the first time you had sex with a boy?" Ruella tried to say it offhandedly, as though it was no big deal. 

Tonks sucked in her breath.

"It was awkward and exciting and uncomfortable and not what I expected," she said. "But he was gentle and I got plenty of pleasure. So yeah, I enjoyed it. Everyone deserves that."

Ruella put her head down on her arms.

"Yeah," she said. "Caleb said something like that."

"You don't have to tell me," said Tonks after a while. "But I'm listening."

Her stomach rumbled in the quiet. Stupid metabolism. Tonks could put off lunch however long she needed.

"It was at a party," she said. "Back in America, the summer before we moved here. Caleb's team had won the summer Quidditch league, and Dad let me tag along for once. We'd only been there a year, so I hardly knew anyone, but I pretended to be older than I was, and I managed to dance with some guys. One of them, about Caleb's age, kept telling me how pretty I was, and we kissed, and one thing led to another. I didn't really mean it to happen, but I didn't see how to be polite either, and by the time we were on the bed I was mostly excited that finally I'd be an adult. And then it hurt, so much more than I expected, and when I opened my mouth to tell him to stop, the boy was flying off me."

She sighed. "Caleb had come in, of course. Though in five more seconds I probably would have magically tossed him myself, even without a wand. Caleb's rubbish at physical magic, but that hardly matters with muscles like his. He threw the guy at the wall so hard it cracked the plaster. I think he might have hurt him much worse if I hadn't begged him to stop and take me home."

Tonks put her hand on Ruella's shoulder. Ruella looked up with reddened eyes and smiled bitterly.

"That's why we had to come here," she said. "That stupid boy had important parents, and Dad was out of a job again. But in the end I'm so glad it worked out like this."

Tonks hugged Ruella. "That is downright awful," she said. "What a horrible thing. A boy should never –"

"Yeah, I know," said Ruella with a hint of amusement. "Caleb's given me more uncomfortable lectures about consent and sex than I really need for a lifetime. Better him than Dad, I suppose. In truth my brother was upset for a lot longer than I was. At some point I finally convinced him I could take care of myself and that he had to give me my own space. It helped when I destroyed the kitchen table in a fit of anger." She smiled at the memory. 

"But it kind of put me off the whole idea of sex for a while, and of course there was so much catching up in school. But it's not like those urges really go away, do they?"

Tonks found herself giggling along with Ruella.

"No," she agreed. "No, you need to get them out one way or another."

Ruella started laughing uncontrollably. "I can't believe I'm talking about this with someone," she said. "I mean, I knew I wasn't the *only* one, but …"

"We all do it," Tonks said. "Almost all, anyway. Be suspicious of anyone who denies it."

"I'll remember that. First question I ask next time I don't know whether to trust someone."

They laughed much louder. Giggling witches were probably the real reason for the isolating spells on these study rooms.

Tonks felt her stomach rumble again.

"Would you believe it, but I'm starved again. Want to get early lunch?"

"Sure," said Ruella. "Thank you so much, Tonks, for offering to practice. For listening. For being who you are for Caleb. I've never seen him so happy. It's like I got a sister. But better than that, because we can just skip all the fighting over stupid shit."

"A friend," agreed Tonks, and Ruella smiled.


	8. Chapter 8

"Could you put them back for a little?" Caleb asked.

Tonks smiled and let her nearly-Kat-sized tits shrink back to their basic form. As always they looked like forlorn little mounds.

"I don't know why you like these so much," she said as he suckled on her. Though she had to admit he was getting skilled at that. Among other things. She sighed as he adjusted his strokes along her clit.

Caleb let her nipple pop out from between his lips and looked up from the chair. She kept stroking him slowly. 

"But they're yours," he said. "How could I not love them?"

She was finally starting to figure out what was bugging her.

"But they're not mine," she said. "Not really. No more than my spiky pink hair is mine. Or my messy brown hair, if I let all the magic go. Caleb, it's cute that you like these, but I never really liked them. I like almost everyone else's boobs better on me."

He winced as she squeezed his dick too tight in her emphasis.

"Sorry, sweetie," she said, and he smiled faintly, the way he always did when she called him that.

"You're right," he said. "I get it. You get to decide what's yours. It's a real luxury, being able to change up your entire body to suit your ideal version of yourself. Not everyone gets that."

He was exaggerating, of course. She still wasn't very good at changing her whole body, though she was getting better. 

He was losing his erection, which was rare enough, though she wasn't doing the best job right now. But no, it was more than that. She'd missed what he was saying amidst her satisfaction at winning the argument.

"Caleb, I'm sorry," she said softly as he started to cry. She was such an idiot sometimes. She slid forward on his lap and kissed him.

She heard someone finally coming into the shower, but there was plenty of time for that. She held him until he stopped shuddering.

"I thought I was over it," he said. "I've lived with it for so long. But if I was over it, I'd be able to let you see it. Or touch it."

Tonks shook her head. "Or maybe this is just you. You come with a shirt, the way most of us come with skin."

Caleb smiled. "That's a really nice thought," he said. "But it's not so easy for the rest of us to be as flexible as you are." He took a breath. "You can take it off if you want. If you still are all right with that."

"Only if you need me to," she said. "And of course I'm still all right."

"I think I need you to," he said softly. "I think I need you to touch me."

Carefully she pulled his shirt off and kissed him.

Her enhanced vision let her see well enough. The most unnerving thing was the way the scarring glowed a little. She blinked, but it was there. A very light pulsing to it. What a horrible curse it had been. She put both her hands on the warm, ordinary skin that covered over half his chest, and he sighed deeply.

"Tonks," he whispered.

While she stroked his right shoulder, she carefully ran her other hand to the scarred tissue on the left. It wasn't a familiar feeling, even though she had some idea what to expect from the touching through his clothes. But it was part of Caleb. Horrible only because a human had done this intentionally, and because it was connected to his mother's murder.

And there was that other horrible thing she'd gotten used to ignoring. Caleb hadn't given any hint to her, but she doubted Ruella was making it up. If a curse this bad was getting worse – she sighed. He'd tell her in his own time.

"How is this?" she asked him. He was looking at her with an expression she couldn't decode.

"I love you so much," he said simply. His eyes brimmed with tears.

"It's all right," she said, and she hugged him. Bare chest, her arms and plain little breasts against his warm skin and rough scars. 

He shook his head as he cried.

"I never thought – I never thought. Oh, Tonks, I'm sorry, I don't know what's wrong with me."

"I don't know about you," she said softly, "but for me crying usually means it's getting better."

He nodded and held her uncomfortably tight against him. She quickly adjusted her right nipple to Alexa's less sensitive one. See, they were made for each other.

Something bumped against her ass. Caleb adjusted slightly.

"Sorry. I can't believe it," he whispered, still choking on tears. "Why am I horny all of a sudden?"

"Who knows," she said. "But you did just get through something really stressful. Want to do anything about it?"

She felt his erection get even bigger.

"Merlin, yes," he whispered, and she reached back to hold his dick. She was getting pretty turned on again, and she gasped when he put his fingers back on her clit.

"OK?" he asked. He was always so careful about that.

"More than OK," she said. "Be a little lighter this time. I'm going to mix my clit with Kat's, the way I like."

"You're so amazing," he said. She wiped the tears from his face with her free hand and he smiled.

"Tonks, I don't like your boobs that way because I think they're more authentic or something," he said. "I love them because that's the way I first saw you naked. I'd seen two other girls already but when I saw you – well, I could never forget it. That's why I like the pink hair too. But I love you, not your boobs. So for Merlin's sake, do whatever makes you like your body the most, and I'll catch up. Surely I've shown by this point I have pretty eclectic tastes of my own."

Tonks felt a few tears in her eyes as well. And when she carefully positioned herself and sank partway onto his beautiful cock, she let them flow unabashed.

She came first, but it was one of those crazy orgasm-on-top-of-orgasms that she'd had a few of lately. She was just coming down from the second peak when he exploded inside of her, bucking so hard he nearly threw her off completely. He was so fucking strong. Sometimes that was hard to remember.

Finally she slid off of him and gave him a kiss.

"So who was it in there?" he asked. She took a look.

"Oh, fuck," she said. "It was Kat. She's just on her way out."

Caleb laughed, a beautiful, free belly laugh. "I can't believe it. We're cursed." 

It had only been a few weeks, though of course they'd been in here hours sometimes. Maybe some of the girls never used these two particular stalls. But even so they'd seen a surprising fraction of the upperclass Hufflepuff contingent. And with every day that they somehow missed Kat, they'd been more open with each other about their anticipation. Tonks supposed she shouldn't be surprised that Caleb thought about her so much, given their chemistry on the team together.

"I have to meet Ruella," she said. "Are you free later?"

"No, I have to go practice some more rituals," he said. "I suspect they don't work as well if someone's sucking on my dick."

"I could just keep you company," she said.

"Then I'd be *thinking* about it and it still wouldn't work," he said. 

They cleaned up quickly. She'd let it get later than she meant. Ruella didn't have a lot of time today.

"I love you," she said, kissing Caleb and rushing out the door.

* * * 

"You're late," said Ruella. She'd already stripped down to a T-shirt and light trousers. They'd discovered in their previous two sessions that the large storage room didn't have the best air flow.

"Sorry," she said, slipping off her own outer layers. Ruella immediately began to prowl around her, wand raised.

It wasn't really Tonks' idea of how to spar, and certainly wasn't going to prepare them for duelling competitions. But there was a sense to it. If they really made it to be Aurors, no one was going to line them up and tell them which class of magic to use for the next fight. They would be fighting people who fought dirty, as Ruella couldn't ever forget.

The girl was vicious. Tonks didn't underestimate her own talent, but Ruella was a much tougher challenge than she'd expected. She must have spent years practicing on her own, developing techniques from scratch. If the younger witch could learn a little more discipline, there was a good chance Ruella would eventually surpass her as a dueller. When it came down to it, Tonks didn't like this kind of fighting, and Ruella did.

But that was all in the future. Today she'd be as tough as Ruella had demanded from the start. After a few partial exchanges, Ruella feinted expertly. Tonks saw through it and easily diverted the true attack, then folded the energy into one of her own. Ruella landed hard on her ass with Tonks standing over her. She took Tonks' hand and smiled.

"That was amazing," she said. "You'll have to show me –"

This time Ruella almost caught her, but Tonks leaped aside and hit her back hard enough to roll her several times on the floor, right into the wall. She rushed over to make sure everything was all right, though not before sending Ruella's wand across the room.

"Ow." Ruella slowly sat up, holding her shoulder. "You pack a hell of a punch, Tonks."

"Only because I know how dangerous you are," she said, and Ruella smiled. "That was extremely underhanded, what you did there. Well done. Do we need to get you to Pomfrey again?" 

That was how the first session had ended, and Pomfrey had given both of them quite the evil eye.

"I don't think so," Ruella said, waving Tonks aside and sliding herself up the wall. But she bumped her shoulder on a moulding and grunted in pain, losing her balance. Tonks caught her as she fell sideways. She was suddenly extremely aware of Ruella's body, her wiry muscles, the feel of their chests pressed against each other. Even the girl's smell. Merlin, Tonks was still horny, wasn't she. 

"Tonks," Ruella whispered. "You smell … did you just come from Caleb?"

Tonks stiffened.

"Sorry, Tonks. Merlin, that was inappropriate. Let's just pretend I didn't say anything."

She helped Ruella over to a barrel.

"Sit still," she told her, and before Ruella could protest she immobilized the offending shoulder with magical silk. One more quick spell and the silk quickly frosted over. Ruella tried to hide her wince.

"No! I'm fine, Tonks. We can keep going."

"I can tell you're not fine," Tonks said. "But how about this. We quit the duelling for today and we talk tactics and things to study. If you sit still I'll even let you practice casting. Then we'll go to Pomfrey and she can fix you properly."

Ruella pouted while Tonks tried a few more spells to make sure it wasn't worse than it seemed. She cast one last spell to quicken healing and then rummaged in her bag to pull out some pills from a white bottle.

Ruella stared at the pills. "What's this then?"

"Muggle medicine," said Tonks. "Pain relief, reduce inflammation. Pretty good stuff. Not everything needs magic."

Ruella made a face at the taste, but she accepted the usual wizard rule that if it tasted bad it probably was serious business.

"How'd you learn all this?" Ruella asked. "I didn't know you studied Healing."

Tonks laughed. "Oh, this is just first aid. You can learn about it from books, and I even took a Muggle class one summer. I definitely don't have the Healing knack." Though she suddenly wondered. She must intuitively understand bodies pretty well to do what she did.

Ruella looked thoughtful. "It seems really useful," she said. "I could patch myself up after a fight. Or keep myself going even if I'm injured."

Tonks frowned. "Ruella, this is good magic, and good Muggle tricks. Pomfrey would be livid to hear you talk that way. There's a lot more to being an Auror than fighting."

"Sure," said Ruella. "But none of it matters if you lose the fight."

"Ruella, what do you think being an Auror is like? It's mostly study and careful magic and detective work and winning by avoiding dumb fights. I can already say without flattery that you're better at fighting than almost everyone applying to be an Auror. But you need to make sure you're excelling at everything else, too."

"You're better though," insisted Ruella. "You're a lot better at fighting. And Dolohov, and Bellatrix, people like that, they could kill almost anyone in an instant."

Bellatrix. Tonks had had a lifetime of nightmares of her aunt, though her only real memories were of one brief visit her aunt had made to taunt her mother while Dad held Tonks painfully tight in the closet.

"They're in Azkaban," she managed to say. 

"But at least two of the ones who killed my mother aren't," Ruella hissed.

There. Now it was out in the open.

"Ruella, listen to me. It's precisely because they're so dangerous that you *can't* go on expecting to fight wizards like that. We have to be smarter, because they fight with magic we can never use."

"Maybe we should, then," Ruella said.

In a flash Tonks had Ruella's head in her hands.

"DON'T. DON'T EVEN THINK THAT!"

Cold blue fire blossomed from Tonks' bare hands and Ruella shrieked in pain. 

Tonks staggered back and doubled over, vomiting on the floor.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck," she muttered, wiping her mouth and trying to stop shaking.

She felt a hand on her back and tried to shake it off. But Ruella kneeled down to hug her.

"I'm so sorry," mumbled Tonks. "Are you all right? It's been years since I lost it like that."

"I'm OK," said Ruella. "Aside from the sprained shoulder, anyway."

Tonks sighed and sat up, disentangling herself from Ruella. She called her wand over to do some cleanup.

"I should never have said that," said Ruella. "I understand why you got so upset."

"Do you, though?" Tonks asked. "Do you have any idea what this fucking body is capable of? I used to get in fights with people. Three years ago some idiot insulted my Dad, and I hurt the boy badly enough to get me seriously disciplined. No one understood properly why I stopped fighting after that. Most people probably thought that I'd made the point that I was dangerous and didn't want to be punished again. The truth was much worse than that. Ruella, I nearly killed him, and there was an awful satisfaction in that power."

"Bellatrix is my aunt, my own fucking blood. Of course I know what she's capable of, and every year I'm more terrified that I have some of her inside me. I hide it from everyone, even Caleb mostly. The only thing I can do is keep improving my discipline and find ways to not lose my temper. So maybe I'm not the best role model, but you can consider it an expert opinion when I say you better fucking start on discipline too."

Ruella carefully sat down next to her.

"OK," she said simply, and put her arm around Tonks again. This time Tonks didn't push her away.

"I know what it's like to be lonely," said Ruella. "And Caleb would understand. You shouldn't hide this from him. So, given what you just did, maybe we can start this whole 'tactics' thing by you telling me how you've managed not to burn Emilia to a crisp in all this time?"

Tonks laughed uncomfortably. "OK," she said. "So I guess we're starting the real lessons now."


	9. Chapter 9

"Holy shit," said Caleb as they looked through the Slytherin window.

They'd come upon her already mid-shower and covered in soap. For all her personality faults, Emilia was beautiful. Luxurious long brown hair hung to her perfect hips. Her medium breasts tipped slightly upwards, bouncing lightly as she finished wringing the soap from her hair. Tonks didn't want to keep looking, but she couldn't look away either.

"It's unfair. I wish she weren't so beautiful," Tonks said.

Caleb didn't reply, but he shifted slightly in that way Tonks was getting to know. She deftly undid his trousers and his erect dick sprang out.

"You imagining shoving this into her hairless slit?" Caleb groaned uncomfortably. He liked it when she talked this way.

What the hell. She'd certainly pulled Caleb out of his comfort zone. She could at least try, for his sake. She quickly undressed and took his hand.

As soon as he'd begun fingering her, she *pushed*, removing her hair and matching herself up with what she saw. Caleb looked down, then swallowed.

"You sure?" he asked.

"If you want it," she purred. He nodded.

She'd had a nice heavy lunch, and her big bag of reserve food. Brimming with energy, she began to alter herself. More rounded arms. Wider hips. Those perfect boobs, tipped just so. Paler skin. Even the more delicate fingers and the emerald nail polish. She could try the face, but that still took a lot of work, and frankly she didn't think she could stand it in this case. But she took the hair. Tonks was a little surprised Emilia kept it coiled up all the time, as it was spectacular.

Caleb moaned again and ran his fingers through her long hair. He didn't usually get this excited so fast. Maybe there was some dirty bit of glee in it thanks to Emilia's horrible personality. And then he knelt down and began to kiss her between the legs.

Maybe it was something more complicated. She wasn't going to judge him, for sure. His tongue felt nice, but distant. No problem with his technique – he had only gotten better, and she'd had some rocking orgasms that way. Probably she just couldn't connect properly with the body of this girl she detested. But it didn't feel actively bad either. And she was pretty wet despite it all.

"Wanna fuck?" she asked, and he quickly stood up and kissed her.

"Merlin, yes," he said. "This is turning me on a lot more than I want it to."

"Don't worry, then. Just go with it," she said, pushing him towards the couch. But he turned her around. Oh, it was going to be like that. Well, she liked that well enough usually. But maybe she should give herself a little something too.

Emilia was already heading out, hair in one towel and body wrapped with a second. 

"Could we go back to Hufflepuff?" she asked. "I want to be thinking about the next one." Caleb nodded happily, and they positioned themselves there.

There was no one there right now, but maybe someone would show up. And she could just think about the previous times, the future times, the way sex with Caleb got hotter every time. She got herself situated on the riser they'd brought in, and she leaned over, eyes on the window. Almost immediately, Caleb began to push into her.

It never stopped being a surprise how *big* he was. And unexpectedly she felt this body react a little to it, the way Kat's did. She was pretty sure Tomoko would like it as well, but for whatever reason Caleb felt weird about her borrowing her roommate's body.

Caleb started to fuck her harder, and she focused on keeping her body comfortable. This was a good position to play with herself, and he could hardly tell back there if she was mucking around with the shape of her clit. For that matter, he expected it. This was feeling pretty good, though it was obvious from Caleb's moaning that he was a lot more into it.

Caleb repositioned his hand and in the process scratched her back slightly with his thumbnail. It felt amazing.

"Oh," she said. "Do that again. Scratch my back hard with your nails."

There. This was really starting to work. They always found a way to make it work, with the new bodies and new combinations that Tonks felt the need to seek out. He was a good partner, and always so considerate. Though right now he was being a lot less gentle than usual. It was kind of exciting.

"Harder's OK," she said. "Just not too deep. Same as always." He immediately started to pound her even more thoroughly. His breath became shallow and fast, and she knew even before he said it.

"Tonks, I'm getting close."

She slammed her hips back in rhythm with him, bumping her cervix a little too hard. He was stroking her back, saying her name over and over, and then the stall door opened. She looked up in time to see Ruella hang her bag and immediately drop the towel draped around her.

"No, no," Caleb yelped behind her, but he was already coming hard. Almost in a daze Tonks felt the hot spurts inside her as she stared at Ruella's naked body.

She knew it, and she didn't know it. Ruella's breasts were almost all areola, with surprisingly large nipples. Delicious mouthfuls. Her lean torso had some ugly bruises, probably thanks to their eventful sparring session two days ago, though Pomfrey had done a good job on the shoulder. She had an incredibly lush forest of curly black hair between her legs, even more than her brother. Tonks found the sight arresting.

Caleb's body dragged him through a few more seconds before he fell awkwardly back off her, still dribbling with cum. He sprang up and ran around the corner.

"Caleb, wait," she called, hurrying after him. He was crouched at the entrance wall.

"It's all right," she said. "Everything's –"

"Can you toss me my wand and clothes?" he said in a flat tone. "I have to go."

She shook her head and walked closer.

"I'm here, Caleb. It's OK."

"No, Tonks," he said quietly. "I need space. Please."

There was nothing to do. She summoned his things from the other room and retreated. Soon she heard him leave.

She sat heavily on her stool, but of course the stool was just the right height by design. And so she watched, her emotions roiling.

Ruella was scrubbing her torso. Her nipples were harder than before, and as Tonks watched she circled the soap a few times over them, finishing with a tweak. Shit. 

The other witch sighed audibly and then finished rinsing off the soap. To Tonks' surprise, she leaned out and got her wand, then sat down opposite the water.

Was this really happening? Tonks waiting for her to chant the vibration spell, or any of the other things that she'd tried, but instead Ruella whispered something and aimed at the shower nozzle. The water collected into a single snaking strand, and Ruella directed it expertly with her wand, just where she needed.

Oh. Tonks had tried something simpler than this once, but it didn't seem like it was going anywhere. Ruella braced herself in the corner and opened herself wide with one hand, beginning to flick the stream up and down. Like a tongue. Tonks started to stroke herself and found she'd already borrowed Ruella's pussy to try on. She had a kind of big clit, though not so big as Tonks. Or her brother, for that matter. 

Tonks swallowed and brought back her own pussy, though she couldn't bring herself to stop masturbating. 

What had Caleb seen when she appeared? His sister, unknowingly walking in on him in a private moment? Or maybe a secret fantasy he would never share with anyone? Tonks already had some suspicions about Ruella's feelings for her brother. Whatever they had was a lot more complicated than the usual brother and sister, and all wrapped up in their difficult past.

Tonks would have to find a way to tell him she didn't care, that he and Ruella obviously loved each other and the rest was just who stuck which part where. She smiled at the thought. Of course it wasn't so simple as that. Caleb was right to complain that her perspective was getting skewed because of her abilities.

She thought again about Caleb's dick inside her as he watched other women. A few times Tonks had guessed and surprised him with a change just before his orgasm, usually with good results. Why couldn't this just be like one of those not-so-great choices, something to brush off? She could almost feel the way he opened her up. Merlin, her clit felt big.

She looked, and took a sharp breath. She'd made her clit a lot bigger. Which was bigger than any clit she'd seen. But of course she'd been thinking about …

She *pushed*, and felt something in her resist slightly, some sense of self. Like the resistance when she'd first tried to make her boobs *smaller*. But it always got easier, taking on a new identity, merging it with her own. And when she finally dared to open her eyes, she had an enormous dick.

It was Caleb's, of course. Not as though she had any other for comparison, but she knew it well. She knew how he liked to be touched, so she started there, and realized immediately her technique was a lot more awkward than she'd thought. Caleb was being nice, most likely. Slowly she adjusted to something that seemed more enjoyable.

It was crazy. The sensation was so much more diffuse, but damn, it felt good to stroke this big thing. She felt around and realized she hadn't made anything else. Not to mention whatever interior changes she hadn't made. Surely it wouldn't function entirely right without all the plumbing. But this was enjoyable enough for now, and Merlin if she wasn't dripping wet.

She put two fingers inside herself as she stroked the dick. Caleb's dick. Her dick. It was the best kind of vertigo, the uneasy perspective that took her out of her own body and opened her up to – everything. She watched Ruella and imagined seeing Caleb fucking her. Or her own dick sliding into Ruella. She pulled the fingers out of her vagina and worked the lubrication up her shaft. Her dick was throbbing, a weirdly distorted version of what sometimes happened as she got near coming, and now when she put her fingers back inside she felt the walls gripping hard. Two parallel sets of nerves almost agreeing. And then: something big.

She half expected to see semen come blasting out of her dick, but of course that didn't happen. It was an orgasm though, a strange and memorable one, and it left her gasping for breath. Down in the shower Ruella seemed to be settled in for a much longer session.

All the worry and shame and guilt began to resurface with the ebb of her orgasm. She let her body slip back to its default form. 

She had a deeply unhappy boyfriend and not much idea what to do about it. But her first instinct had been to frig herself with his dick while she watched his sister. And however she looked at it that was at the very best incredibly selfish. There was something in her magic that seemed to encourage that selfishness, ever since she'd started experimenting with her body. So perhaps she'd try to make do without for a while and see if she could get some perspective. Well, she'd keep her hair. 

Caleb had a match tonight. She probably wouldn't see him before then, but she'd damn well go, and she'd think of what to say. And she'd do a little less thinking with her sex parts.

* * * 

"Have you seen Caleb?" she asked Ruella at dinner. She felt like her skin was itching, and she kept having to resist an urge to subtly shake things up a bit. Did she really use her magic that often, now? Was it like some addiction?

Ruella shook her head. "You know he's got practice now?"

"Yeah, of course," she said. "It's just - well, he's upset, and I wanted to talk to him."

"Did you guys have a fight?" 

"No. Not like that. Anyway, tell him I really want to talk to him if you see him. Though maybe he'll be avoiding you too."

"Huh? Why?"

Tonks hoped she wasn't blushing. "Well, we've gotten a lot friendlier, and if he doesn't want to talk to me, he'll probably correctly guess that I'll do what I just did and try to bug him through you. Now that I say it it doesn't sound like a great plan, does it."

Ruella gave her a wry grin. "Can I help somehow?"

"I don't think so," Tonks said. 

That was an understatement. Tonks looked at her plate: still half-full. She sighed and stood up.

"See you at the match, then. I'm counting on you to continue my Quidditch education. It's embarrassing to admit to Caleb how ignorant I am."

Ruella grinned. "Our secret," she said. Tonks couldn't shake the feeling of guilt as she walked back to her room.


	10. Chapter 10

"Hey, Tonks. Long time no see."

Tonks mock-waved to Tomoko and flopped on her bed.

"You know what you're wearing to the party tonight?" 

"Uh, I hadn't thought about it. I don't know if Caleb will want to go."

"Of course he will," Tomoko said. "He's always there, even if he's usually hiding in the corner. And he's been like five times as social since you two became a thing. You're good for each other. Wait, sorry, is something wrong?"

Tonks hadn't thought it was so obvious, but of course Tomoko was annoyingly perceptive. 

"I don't know. We had a – something. Not a fight. I don't know how to explain it. But he got nervous and said he needed a little space."

"Space, as in, leave me alone right now, or stay away indefinitely?"

"The first, surely," Tonks said. "I think?"

Tomoko sighed and came over to sit next to Tonks on her bed. "Well, assume the first then, unless you hear anything otherwise. And you should plan for the party anyway. I know you really enjoyed yourself last time, at least until you had that other not-really-a-fight thing. Maybe this is just the normal way your relationship goes. You think it's still worth working on?"

"Merlin, yes," Tonks said.

"Then that's all the answer you need. So let's figure out something to wear."

"I've already got the dress from last time," Tonks said.

"And didn't you look amazing," said Tomoko. "But why not surprise everyone again? Luckily we've got an earlier start this time. If you're willing to borrow something of mine, I bet we can make it work."

Tomoko wandered over and mercilessly rifled through Tonks' underwear drawer. 

"What, no new sexy things? Well, we can probably find something to work again with that blue set. Caleb's eyes must have popped out when he saw you in it."

Tonks blushed. She had worn it once for Caleb, and he'd liked it very much indeed.

Tomoko handed Tonks the underwear in question and then went back to her own, much larger wardrobe.

"Maybe something a little less low-cut," said Tonks. "It was fun once but I was positive I was going to pop out of it. And I'm not trying to impress the whole room."

"No, true enough. There's only one person who really matters here, and that's you. If you like how you look, so will Caleb. And everyone else, of course. Here, what do you think of these?"

Tomoko handed her two extremely sparkly things. But they did look to be a bit larger than her old dress. She picked the less flashy one.

"All right, let's see then." Tomoko turned away and Tonks started to undress. Oh, crap. She needed to get her boobs just so, or Tomoko would be confused. She *pushed*, and her whole body responded, like it was like a tiny bit of sex. Maybe she should spend more time not using her magic. Abstinence, but in moderation.

She quickly put on the underwear. She'd gotten it just right. And she did look really good like this, after all. She turned slightly to check it again in the mirror.

"Yeah, you really do look that good. I'd swear you even look more fit," said Tomoko.

Tonks blushed. "Yeah, I've been exercising a bit." But she'd made a little mistake, using her trick to redistribute things from her sides to fill out her bust. 

Tomoko was truly ogling her. Tonks really had no right to dislike it. And for that matter, she was pretty sure she liked it. But she had so many secrets she had to protect.

The silver glittery thing was all right. Not as subtle as she'd been hoping for, but Tomoko really had picked one that didn't highlight her tits foremost. Of course, it stretched across her ass in a way that didn't leave so much to the imagination. She could only imagine what it looked like on Tomoko's fuller figure.

"This will be great," Tomoko said. "I'll touch it up before the party. Now let's get ourselves to the game."

They met Ruella in the seats. The Hufflepuff team flew onto the field, and Tonks smiled in relief. There was Caleb, looking strong as ever. At least he had something to focus on.

As the game started, Tomoko seemed distracted, looking for someone.

"You see Gregory?" she asked. 

"No," said Tonks. His height made him hard to miss.

"That shit," said Tomoko. Tonks waited patiently for the inevitable gossip.

"He broke up with Kat, would you believe," she whispered. "Got some fancy job in New York after graduation and figured he'd make a clean break of it in advance. He could at least have the decency to show up and keep supporting her."

"What an asshole," said Ruella, clearly gleeful to be in on the gossip for once.

"He's just scared," said Tonks. Tomoko raised an eyebrow, but she didn't disagree.

This was a more evenly matched game from the start. Ravenclaw led for a while, but finally Alexa caught the Snitch and the game was decided. Tonks was surprised to see Hufflepuff less giddy than after the game they'd lost to Gryffindor.

"But we should have trounced them," explained Ruella. "Surely you saw how off her game Kat was? Caleb looked all right, but after that last game I thought he would be totally dominating too. He's gotten so much better, even in the last year."

"Tonks is right, though. We should take the win and look ahead," said Tomoko. Ruella nodded, and they made their way over to the Hufflepuff team area.

Caleb wasn't there. Kat seemed to be holding up all right, chatting with her teammates, though knowing what she did Tonks supposed she could see some strain underneath it.

Tomoko grabbed Alexa. "Where's Caleb run off to?" she asked.

"Oh," said Alexa. "Yeah, I guess he slipped off. He's good at that when he wants to. But he said he'd drop by the party."

"Well," said Tomoko when Alexa moved away. "I guess let's get ready then!"

Tonks was less sure what any of this meant, but if that was the only way she could grab him, so be it. Of course, if he truly didn't want to be found, she wouldn't have a chance anyway.

They made a quick dash to the showers like last time. Tonks was getting less nervous about undressing around Tomoko, but neither was she feeling particularly lecherous for once, and she didn't try to sneak any peeks.

As it happened that didn't really matter. Once Tonks had gotten into her fancy clothes and Tomoko had done a couple little tweaks, her roommate took off her towel completely.

"Can I get an honest opinion?" Tomoko asked. 

Tonks forced a smile, and then relaxed as Tomoko picked out some underwear. All right, if Tomoko really wanted style advice, she could manage it.

"They all look really good," Tonks said once Tomoko had shown her all three. She was starting to feel uncomfortably warm. There really was no way not to stare at her roommate while doing this.

"Come on, give me something," said Tomoko.

"The green, maybe?"

Tomoko sighed. "Tonks, pretend you're a guy. Which one makes you say 'oh! I had no idea she was so delectable. I will now remove them with my teeth and ravish her with my enormous cock.'"

Tonks started to choke on her laughter. "Uh, yeah, the green."

Tomoko smiled brilliantly. "Perfect. I feel sexier already. Thanks, Tonks."

Tonks shook her head and tried to get that image out. Not a chance. But Tomoko had managed to make her a lot less nervous about tonight. And she was pretty sure it wasn't an accident.

"Thanks again, Tomoko," she said as her roommate quickly finished dressing. This time Tomoko had elected to show off some cleavage. "And you really do look great."

Ruella was already there, wandering around the buffet table. She had a striking deep blue dress on, and a few strands of hair colored to match. Not to mention deep red lipstick. Tonks was pretty sure she'd never seen Ruella dress like this.

"You look wonderful," she said.

"Thanks," said Ruella. "Tomoko helped me pick it out last week. And you look great like last time. Like always."

"To Tomoko, then," said Tonks, and they both toasted her with some punch. Tomoko looked genuinely pleased.

"Thanks, you two. I really enjoy it, of course. Now, I've got to find someone to get the night going."

They smiled as she rushed off to mingle.

Caleb wasn't there yet. Tonks tried to relax. She was starved, of course, so she loaded up a plate.

"I feel like everyone's staring," said Ruella.

"They should," said Tonks. "You look marvelous." 

They walked over to a pair of seats. Tonks balanced her plate on her knees and quickly dispatched the food.

"I don't think I'll ever get used to how you can do that," said Ruella with a smile.

"It's a curse when I get this way," said Tonks. "Plus, just think about it. Everything that goes in …"

Ruella started to giggle, then put her hand over her mouth, her whole body shaking with laughter. Tonks had an unwelcome memory of the similar way she seen her shake in the shower.

Finally Ruella let out her breath.

"I don't know what's wrong with Caleb," she said. "You're perfect. Well, as much as anyone can be. As you guessed, he's avoiding me too. I'll be on the lookout and I'll give you privacy."

"You should enjoy yourself," Tonks said. "I can worry and look for him just fine on my own."

When Ruella finally went to look for someone to dance with, Tonks got up and refilled her food plate. She'd done her boobs more efficiently this time, but it was still taking a lot of fuel.

She got a few glances from other folks, but no one came up to talk. Kat looked tired, though she managed a smile from her conversation across the room.

"Tonks," said Caleb.

She dropped her plate, and somehow he caught it perfectly. He'd snuck up behind her, of course.

He looked nice. No, he looked perfect, and she wanted to grab him in a huge hug, but  
it was obvious that wasn't what he wanted. Carefully he passed back her plate, and she followed him to the quietest corner. Their corner, from the first time. He cast a privacy spell and Tonks silently strengthened it.

"I love you," she blurted, then tried to veer back to her script. "I know you got scared today, but it doesn't bother me at all. I love you, and you love Ruella, and I love her too. We can just treat it like one of those times when something didn't work, or we can talk about it, or we can –"

"Ssh, no, Tonks," he said. "I have to say something hard to you, and I need you to listen and accept it."

She shut her mouth, heart pounding.

"It's a gift," he said. "And a curse. Every day I sense so many things, and almost all of them are so inconsequential. Creaky boards and playing cards. Over the years I've gotten tiny scraps of more distant things, or things unrelated to me. Very rarely something it's something truly vital. I knew I needed to take up a sport or else I would wither away physically. I could see the branching, clear as day, and it terrified me. Years later I suddenly knew we had to move to the UK, so I nudged Dad that direction when he lost his job. And of course there's what I told you already: a second War. That tells me what the stakes really are."

"There are a few things I know I can't change. And there are things I know are in the balance, and almost all of them are so difficult for me to grasp that I'm only just now gaining the tools. I've had to make it up as I go, because there don't seem to be any other Seers, or whatever, with my odd skills. And Tonks, I'm running out of time."

She started to cry, because she knew what was coming.

"I know I look healthy, but I'm dying, Tonks. Dad is so broken he's been trying to forget what the Healers said all those years ago, but I'll have to tell him soon. And Ruella probably suspects. Pomfrey and Dumbledore and even Snape have been working like mad to slow it, but I might not make it to graduation. If it reaches my heart, that's it."

"I've treasured every bit of our time together," he said. "Too much. It takes so long for me to concentrate on my ability, and I can't do it when I'm distracted. You have been the most amazing thing to ever happen to me, but I've been selfish. My broken desires, my daydreams, none of that even matters in the scheme of things. This afternoon was like a bucket of cold water. I don't have time, Tonks, and I have to keep nudging things. For you, for Ruella, for everyone."

"No," said Tonks. "No, you don't get to do that. I can help you. We can figure it out together. We –"

But Caleb simply shook his head. "I love you too, Tonks. This is the hardest thing I've ever done. I'm sorry, but it's over." 

He got up and simply walked away, disappearing in between her tears. As though it were just that simple. 

It was a good privacy field. No one would hear her crying, and anyone who even thought to look wouldn't notice much if she didn't start throwing things, which was seeming a distinct possibility.

At least she had her fucking boobs under control this time. She clung to the steady flow of her magic with a desperate strength. 

She watched carefully, and saw Ruella whirling with a happy-looking sixth year. Ruella would be furious later, but maybe she could at least give her a happy evening, believing the two of them had slipped off together. Caleb would be avoiding her for sure this time.

She dried her eyes and rewove the privacy spell, unmooring it from the corner. It would serve well enough. She slipped off when no one seemed to be paying attention.

It was past curfew, and that suited Tonks just fine. She easily evaded the feeble curfew wards and headed down the hall silently. Take that, Justine. She was capable of sneaking.

She could go and hide in her secret bathroom, but that secret was shared with Caleb. So she slipped out the door to the Quiet Garden, a large enclosed green space with a glass ceiling. It always felt like home to the nearby Hufflepuffs, who filled it during the day. Now it would be deserted.

The warm smell of earth and plants filled her nose and she unclenched herself slightly. She couldn't think about what had happened. She needed to calm down, then go get some sleep, and maybe in the morning the world would make sense.

She walked to the far end, where the branches of two trees protected the coziest bench. She'd almost reached it when she realized someone was there. She promptly tripped on a branch, and the figure started and turned. 

"Oh! Tonks," said Kat. "You scared me."

Tonks quickly dropped her now-pointless privacy spell.

"Sorry, I didn't know anyone was here," she said. "Let me find somewhere else."

Kat squinted at her in the dim light. 

"Only if you want," she said. "I don't mind your company. Probably healthier than moping on my own."

Tonks wavered, and then she dropped on the bench next to Kat. 

There was less space than she'd remembered. Students played at being couples here. Tonks had even done that once, back in her third year. A different lifetime.

"You want to talk about it?" Kat said after a while.

"Is it that obvious?" she asked.

"I saw the way Caleb looked today," she said. "And I'm a little too familiar with that look, as you probably know by now."

"Yeah," said Tonks. "You want to talk about it?"

Kat smiled and shook her head.

Tonks shivered. It wasn't really cold out here, but she was hungry, and wrung out. She breathed, trying to relax, and finally let go of her damn boobs. Kat had seen them deflated anyway. At least in this dress her stupid bra didn't actually fall off.

Kat leaned closer to her. She was like Caleb, radiating heat even when she was still. Tonks nestled her head against the offered shoulder.

"It was just the same as you," Tonks said eventually. "Well, all the details are different. But the same stupid pig-headed selfishness wrapped up so that he thinks it's kindness."

Kat considered that.

"Hard to imagine from Caleb," she said.

"It's too complicated to explain," said Tonks. "But I don't know if I can fix it."

"Probably you can't," said Kat. "Not tonight, that's for sure."

Tonks nodded, starting to sniffle. And once she started, she couldn't stop.

"I'm so scared," she said in between hiccups.

Kat wrapped her tight and just held her. It was all she'd wanted from Caleb, at the end. One last bit of human warmth. She hugged Kat back and let herself be rocked.

"Is it that bad, then?" Kat asked. "Is he so sick?"

It wasn't her secret to tell. But she was tired of secrets, at least the ones people used to push other people away.

"How did you know?" she asked.

"Tonks, the team is my family. I watch the way they move almost every day, the way they talk to each other or don't, the little pains they try to pass off as no big deal when they shouldn't. It's clear enough to me that his scarring's getting worse and his motion's getting restricted. For an injury so old to be acting like that, when he's otherwise so strong – well, I can connect the dots."

"He's dying," she said. "Maybe this year. There's no fixing it."

"Oh, shit." Kat muttered. "I didn't realize. And of course he's hiding it from everyone. That is so fucking Caleb."

Her face was pressed into the side of Kat's breast. Tonks breathed in Kat's warm smell, mingled with the earth and the plants. Hufflepuff. It really was her home. She stroked Kat's arm and snuggled tighter, and for a long time neither said anything.

"Tonks," Kat said. She blinked.

She must have drowsed off a little. Kat had such wonderful breasts. Perfect pillows. She continued tracing gentle circles around the other nipple … oh.

"Sorry," Tonks said, shifting her hand. "Must have been daydreaming."

"It's nighttime," said Kat, and she lightly shifted Tonks' hand back to where it was.

Tentatively, Tonks started again, and Kat sighed. She felt the nipple through the layers of cloth, and she deliberately trapped it and squeezed. Kat moaned more loudly. Tonks reached for her wand and silently put up a bulletproof privacy field. Then she put her wand down and reached to hold the back of Kat's neck. Corded muscle tensed beneath her hand as Tonks slid to straddle her. Their lips met and it was as though that first kiss in the shower had never really finished. Again Kat cupped her small boobs, this time through her dress. Tonks reached behind and completely failed to undo the fortress back there holding up Kat's dress. She felt Kat begin to giggle.

Kat broke the kiss, smiling, and retrieved her wand.

"Absolvisti Nodis," she incanted, pointed to her back. In one instant the entire back undid itself, falling open. The brassiere was all part of it, so in little time Kat had herself naked nearly to the waist. Tonks sighed and immediately sank down to kiss, lick, and bite just the way she knew from experience. She moved one hand to do what she could on the other breast.

"Holy shit, Tonks," muttered Kat. "That's amazing. Oh, keep doing that."

There was a rustle and Kat mumbled some other clothing spell. Tonks felt the clasps of her own dress come free, and the bra along with it. She wriggled to help Kat remove it, and soon Kat's warm, strong hands were reaching to her own breasts.

Almost right away Kat was too rough. Tonks reached to hold her hands, and then kissed her again.

"Gentler," Tonks said. "I like it gentler. Just circle them lightly, or lick them."

Kat did as she asked, and it felt wonderful. Not the same as Caleb. Different, and that excited the fuck out of her.

Tonks moved her mouth back down to Kat's boobs, and Kat groaned.

"How are you so good at that?" she asked. "You said you'd never done it."

"I've been imagining it a lot," Tonks said. "Especially since the first time."

It was perfectly true as far as it went.

She felt a powerful hand at her back, and she let Kat shift her up higher. Kat's tongue felt exquisite on her breast. She wrapped her arms around Kat's head and kissed her hair. Then she felt a hand between her legs, sliding up her stockings until it found her underwear and the damp spot at her center. Unsurprisingly Kat had a light, deft technique that wasn't going to work out.

"More pressure," she whispered. "Harder."

Kat pressed harder, and Tonks rocked her hips against Kat's fingers. She borrowed just the tiniest suggestion of Kat's clit. With her magic pulsing in time with Kat's strokes, she finally felt her body engage fully.

"You're so wet," whispered Kat.

"How about you?" Tonks reached down between them and began working her hand under the bottom of her dress.

Kat nodded and tried to help her, but it was too awkward. She leaned up to kiss Tonks.

"Is this a good idea? Do you really want to do this?" she asked breathlessly.

"It feels like just what I need," said Tonks. "Right now anyway, and that's all I care about."

"Me too," said Kat. "All right then."

She shifted Tonks off her lap with ease and stood up to pull her dress over her head. She had a tiny thong and some fancy garter thing underneath. Tonks licked her lips and then joined her in undressing.

"You're so beautiful," said Tonks. 

Kat smiled. "I love looking at you," she said. "I've been fantasizing about that time in the shower, even – never mind. Let's finish what we started."

She pulled Tonks into an embrace, and Tonks stood on tiptoes to kiss her. Almost Caleb's size. Tonks wondered if she'd ever be able to make herself that large and powerful.

She brought her hands down to Kat's mostly-bare ass. Even more muscled than Alexa, though it was still rounded in a way that Caleb's wasn't. Kat seemed to like it when she massaged there. 

Kat's hand pressed between them and Tonks made space. She nearly squeaked when Kat slid her fingers right under her underwear.

"I can't believe how wet you are," Kat murmured. "It takes me forever to get like that." 

"We'll have to work on that," said Tonks, stroking around Kat's thighs, sending her fingers teasingly closer. She felt Kat's fingers bump into her clit and quickly move aside.

"You can touch my clit," Tonks said between kisses. "Stroke right on it, as hard as you were doing before."

Kat tentatively tried, and then with more confidence as Tonks encouraged her.

"I'm too sensitive for that," Kat said.

"I figured," said Tonks, and she carefully slid a finger under the side of the thong.

"Oh," breathed Kat. "That's good. Merlin, you've got it."

Tonks was having trouble working around the thong.

"Are you attached to this underwear?"

"Not especially," said Kat.

"Good," said Tonks. She concentrated and then perfectly unraveled the thinnest part of the thong. It fell apart and Tonks immediately began to stroke Kat more easily.

"Fuck," said Kat. "I don't know how you did that. I can't believe people think you're clumsy."

She didn't try to replicate Tonks' feat, and simply yanked down Tonks' underwear. Tonks stepped out of it and for a moment they leaned back slightly to watch each other.

Kat was plenty wet now, so Tonks moved her hand lower. Carefully she pressed two fingers inside Kat while she lightly stroked with the tip of her thumb.

"Shit," said Kat. "That's amazing. Keep going."

Kat might not have Tonks' secret advantage, but she was picking it up fast enough. She explored the whole surface of her clit and moved her other hand to her butt, holding her just the way Caleb did.

Kat's vagina squeezed around her fingers, and Tonks pressed a third one inside.

"Deeper," Kat said urgently, and Tonks pushed harder. This was all new territory, and it was astonishingly arousing to be surprised like this. Of course she'd only gotten familiar with a narrow slice of how Kat felt in her own body. Of course there would always be more to learn. She felt her breathing quickening, and then Kat surprised her.

A slick finger pressed against her asshole. "Fuck, yes," she whispered, and Kat plunged it inside her, more aggressively than she'd ever asked from Caleb. Everything in her squeezed against the intrusion, and then squeezed again. She heard herself screaming uncontrollably and fought to keep helping Kat, but once she heard the first deep grunt from her partner, she lost all sense.

She found herself leaning hard against Kat. Both of them were breathing heavily. Kat felt like a furnace against her. She leaned up to kiss her.

"Tonks," Kat said softly, a smile tugging at her lips. "How have I never heard you come before? Just in the dorm. Or, you know, across campus."

"I'm not that loud very often," Tonks said, starting to giggle. "Only when it's as hot as that. Plus I pack a mean privacy spell."

"Yeah," said Kat. "I noticed. Glad you at least were thinking in advance."

"Was it all right for you?" Tonks asked. 

"Tonks, that was some of the best sex of my life. I don't know if this is a one-time thing or what, but, Merlin."

"You want more?" Tonks asked, letting her hand drift downwards again.

"Well," said Kat. "As Head Girl I have to inform you that you're out well after curfew. I might let it slip with the right favors."

"I have just the one in mind," said Tonks.

A minute later Kat was leaning back on the bench with Tonks kneeling between her legs.

"I've been dreaming of this," said Tonks, and she began working gently with her tongue.

She'd worked this out with Caleb, but of course she was on the other side of it. Her technique was fine, if Kat's noises were any guide. When Tonks penetrated her again, she began to writhe and squeeze Tonks uncomfortably with her thighs.

She tried the trick Kat had, dragging a wet finger back towards her asshole, but Kat stopped her.

"Just keep fucking me," she said. "Deeper, if you can. And whatever you do don't stop licking me like that."

Tonks did what she could with her fingers. She even lengthened them, just slightly, making them more like Kat's. She wished she could let it all out to Kat, but this secret still seemed too dangerous for that. Unfair to Kat, in a way.

But of course there were other options. There was plant material everywhere around them. Tonks concentrated, trying not to harm any one tree or plant. When she had enough material, she selected a single wooden piece about the right size. Not as big as Caleb, but fatter and much longer than her fingers. She rounded it off and carefully sealed it with a springy, rubbery coating from the softer parts. It was a fun challenge. When she had it, she removed her fingers, causing Kat to whimper. Quickly she wiped some of the juices on the dildo, and then she pushed it in.

Kat gasped, and gazed down at Tonks.

"Where the fuck were you hiding that?" she asked, and then she groaned in pleasure.

"I just made it," said Tonks with a bit of pride.

"You – fuck. That's unbelievable. Tonks, this feels even better than mine."

"I don't think it'll hold up forever," said Tonks.

"Well, you better fuck me hard with it while it lasts," Kat said. "Really. Go deeper, there, that's it."

Kat started to shake, and Tonks quickly resumed licking her just so. Kat hit her climax, and held her breath for a little, before bucking against Tonks so hard that she whacked the dildo into her chin. She swore softly, over and over again, and she cried Tonks' name more than once. 

Finally she settled down, and Tonks gently removed the dildo, licking it off. Kat sighed and Tonks sat down next to her.

"That was phenomenal," said Kat. She took the dildo from Tonks and examined it.

"I Summoned the material and then permanently Transfigured it," Tonks said. "So it isn't going to disappear. I made it from wood and pulpy stuff from the bushes here, so I don't know how long that rubbery stuff is going to last." said Tonks. "Oh, I hope you aren't allergic to any of it."

Kat let out a hearty laugh.

"I guess I'll find out," she said. "Tonks, that is amazing magic. You did all that without your wand? Silently?"

"Well, my mouth was busy," said Tonks awkwardly. She hadn't meant to show off so much. "Really, it's not such a big deal. I'm good at Transfiguration."

Kat laughed and shook her head. "No, Tonks, I'm good at Transfiguration. You're off the charts. For Merlin's sake, we've taken seven years together, and I knew you were talented, but this is completely different."

"Kat," Tonks finally said. "You're right. I'm freakishly good at it. Can you keep quiet about that? I learned long ago not to show off. It's kind of my secret weapon if I get to be an Auror."

"Oh, of course I'll keep quiet about it," said Kat. "But it's a shame you have to hide it. It's remarkable, beautiful magic. Speaking of which, can I repay you for the other magic you just did to me?"

Tonks got Kat doing the right thing with her tongue soon enough. She was different from Caleb, gentler by default. Not better or worse. Tonks thought about Caleb's huge dick, and the way Kat wanted more and more of that dildo. They would be a hot couple, for sure. A little spark went through her imagining it.

Kat started to slide the end of the dildo along her entrance. Waiting for her to ask. Tonks suddenly realized she had a new understanding of Kat's body, and she could use it. It was a strange thought, but she'd already done that a little with her clit. Kat wouldn't know.

She *pushed*, and felt things subtly shift inside her. Was she deeper inside? She couldn't feel it, but she must be. And her nerves felt connected and alive, as though what Kat was doing with her tongue was also stroking the walls of her vagina. 

"Fuck me," she said softly. "Do it just the way you would want it."

As the dildo plunged deep into her she closed her eyes. She wished more than anything she could try out this change with Caleb. But Kat's tongue kept dancing on her, and the pounding penetration was giving her incredible pleasure. She held Kat's head and whimpered as the tide of ecstasy lifted her up in its compassionate arms.


	11. Chapter 11

Tonks blinked and squinted at the light. She'd overslept, of course. Her roommates were out already. But Sundays were for catching up on work, and she always hit her stride after –

She swallowed, remembering the events of last night. The horrible and the pleasant. She barely remembered staggering into her room late. She was mostly naked under the covers, which wasn't her usual way of sleeping. She'd dropped Tomoko's nice dress on the floor.

The door opened quietly, and Berella came in.

"Hey Tonks," she said softly. "You all right?"

"I guess," Tonks said.

"OK," said Berella. "I'm here if you need someone to talk to."

She nodded, and Berella headed out with the book she was retrieving. 

Had the news spread so quickly? Surely Caleb hadn't been blabbing everywhere. Or Kat.

She quickly hopped out of bed and got some clothes on. As she fussed over Tomoko's wrinkled dress, her other roommate entered.

"Hey," Tomoko said. "Oh, don't worry about the dress. It'll clean up fine. You OK, though?"

"What, is it all over the school then?" Tonks said sharply. "No, of course I'm not OK."

Tomoko blinked and slowly shook her head.

"Tonks, you were sobbing last night in your sleep. That's all Berella and I know, though of course I'm guessing it had to do with Caleb. And if you want to talk about what's up, I won't tell a soul. I know I can be a huge gossip, but I also know how to keep quiet."

Tonks dropped the dress on her bed. She was so tired all of a sudden. Even the wonderful time she'd had with Kat seemed a dream memory.

"The needing space thing was permanent," said Tonks. "Or at least that's what he said, and it doesn't look likely he'll change his mind. I hate his reasoning, but I don't want to explain it either."

"All right," said Tomoko with a sigh. "That just plain sucks. You should go grab some food before lunch is done, and if you ever need company you can just find me."

"Thanks, Tomoko," said Tonks.

Ruella brightened when she saw Tonks come in.

"Everything go OK last night?" Ruella asked, but her face was already falling.

Tonks shook her head. "You have any time to talk this afternoon?"

"Well, we were going to spar in an hour –"

"Oh. Yeah," said Tonks. Her head felt fuzzy. She reached mechanically to pile some food on her plate.

Ruella watched her for a while.

"Maybe we should just go and talk. Pomfrey said I shouldn't use the shoulder for a week anyway."

"Yeah," said Tonks, trying to get herself to eat.

Finally Ruella put her hand on Tonks' shoulder.

"Tonks, you look like shit. Even your hair's not right. And you're not talking about Caleb. So I guess it was pretty bad?"

"My hair?" Tonks mumbled, and suddenly focused. Her magic was barely flowing. It only took a tiny trickle to keep her hair up, but apparently that was beyond her.

"Yeah, whatever charm you use must be wearing off, but that's not important," said Ruella.

Tonks tried not to panic. She should keep it the way it was and touch it up later. Everyone would see it the way Ruella did. She used to mix it up more, anyway. When had she stopped that?

She finally pushed her plate away. 

"I need a shower, and then let's meet like we were going to," she said. "But how about outside. Not in that dreary room. I need some light, green stuff, you know."

"The Garden, then?"

"Yeah," said Tonks.

She picked one of the two familiar shower stalls and sat under the soothing spray. She thought she'd been handling everything last night, giving herself a bit of catharsis and distance. She'd certainly felt relaxed with Kat. They'd agreed to no regrets, and she didn't regret it, but it seemed like something a different person had done. 

She looked up toward the invisible window, knowing that Caleb wasn't there. She doubted he'd ever go back. They could have played a game of this, but they hadn't thought of it. So little time, and Caleb already thought it was too much of his to waste.

She cried softly, her tears washing away as quickly as they shed. The world was too big for her little miseries. That's certainly the decision Caleb had made, and he'd made it for both of them.

She didn't know how she was going to explain anything to Ruella. She hated that Caleb had put her in this position. It was a kind of cowardice, his need to protect Ruella from the truth. An inability to trust in others' compassion and care. The course of his character had been set on that horrible day. And now there would be another war, and another group of children destined to make rash choices about their futures without understanding the sacrifices involved.

She turned off the water and took a moment to reset her hair. It looked fine in the mirror when she walked out. No surprises to anyone. Same old Tonks.

The Garden was vastly bigger than the little enclosed space near Hufflepuff, but Ruella was at the standard fountain meeting spot in front. They wandered the wild lanes for a bit, squinting against the sun, before they sat down on some out-of-the-way weathered stones. Tonks cast her powerful privacy field again, and Ruella looked at her a bit nervously.

"He broke up with me last night. No uncertainty about it," she said presently.

Ruella nodded, having expected it, but then she scowled. "What the fuck is wrong with him? Is he getting into one of his moods? The whole 'I'm a failure' thing plastered on his face? I swear I will beat him until his only choice is to be happy. And another thing, why are you so paranoid? I feel like my brain is buzzing from that damn spell."

Tonks tried to talk, but she couldn't. She just looked at the ground some more.

"Tonks," Ruella said nervously. "Talk to me. I'm getting scared."

She took a deep breath. Kat was his family, she'd said. And what was Ruella?

"He's dying," she said. "You were right. He told me that Pomfrey didn't know if he'd make it to graduation."

She took Ruella's hand. The other witch didn't say anything for a minute, and then she let out a horrible half sob. She jumped up and sprinted away down the path. A few seconds later an explosion reverberated across the grounds. Tonks stood up, alarmed, but Ruella was already walking back, smoking wand at her side. She sat down again, looking desolate.

"Did that help?" asked Tonks.

"Not really," said Ruella. "But that tree had it coming."

They sat together and the terrible thing just hung there. A malignancy from the last war, finally claiming its victory.

"Why? Why did he dump you, now of all times?" Ruella asked. "Can't he take what happiness he can? You're going to be miserable anyway in the end. How is this supposed to save you any pain? I assume he came up with some bullshit reason like that."

"It is a bullshit reason," said Tonks. "But it's a lot more complicated than that. Maybe it's not my secret to tell, but I'm frankly tired of him hiding from people who love him. Ruella, tell me the full truth. Do you know how Caleb saved your life? Because I do."

Ruella sat silent for a while, and then nodded.

"He knows things," she said. "He can sense them, just before they happen. I'm sure he thinks it's his secret, but I grew up with him, and you can see it in the way he moves, the way he's never surprised when he's alert. And it's like he's extra sensitive when it comes to me."

"I really put it all together after that time he came in like a fucking white knight to stop me from having sex. I was absolutely vicious later, yelling and screaming at him because I was so tired of him thinking I had to be protected. And of course underneath it I was mortified at how he'd found me. Finally he told me that he knew the guy was hurting me, and that he knew my temper. I spent a lot of time thinking about that. He must have known what was happening before he even came into the room, and he was right about my temper. Even then I was so much stronger magically than he was. If I'd told that boy to stop, and he hadn't, my first blast would have hurt him far worse than the bruises Caleb gave him. So my brother saved me from myself. Just like he did at dinner when I wanted to hurt Justine."

Tonks nodded. "Yeah. He can do more than that as well. He doesn't think he's a Seer, but he's at least as powerful as one. If he concentrates hard enough, he can sometimes get fragments of distant future events, or a sense of what choices might be important. But only if he can concentrate hard enough. There's some really bad stuff coming, and he's obsessed with making a difference."

"Because he couldn't save Mom," Ruella said sadly, and Tonks nodded.

"So," said Ruella. "He basically decided he was so vital to protecting all of the future that he couldn't waste his precious remaining days being in love?"

"Pretty much," said Tonks morosely. "Though he made it sound less arrogant than that."

"I'll bet," Ruella said. "What a dickhead. Oh, fuck him, Tonks, why does he *always* have to be the martyr? Why can't we ever do a thing to protect him?" 

Tonks clasped Ruella's hand, and they sat under the blank blue sky and warm sun. It was intolerable. The only thing worse than being scared of her own power was this feeling of powerlessness. Though –

"Ruella," Tonks said slowly. "How hard do you think Caleb's fought to find a cure for that curse?"

His sister thought about it. "He endures it," she said. "He gets up every day and keeps doing what he thinks he needs to do. Though I'm only just starting to realize what that is. But - that sense of fatalism he has. I think he accepted a long time ago that it was going to kill him."

"His guilt," said Tonks, and Ruella nodded.

"I bet until recently he avoided seeing doctors," said Tonks.

"Yeah," said Ruella. "We were always moving around anyway. And aside from the obvious he seemed healthy enough."

"He told me Pomfrey, Dumbledore, and Snape were working to slow it," said Tonks. "Pomfrey is smart and skilled, but she isn't an expert in dark curses. Snape's certainly clever enough, but I don't know how motivated he'd be. Dumbledore, sure, but he always seems to have so much on his plate. And right now I'm feeling as though I have all the time in the world."

Ruella stared at her, and then nodded vigorously. "Yes. We have to try. We *have* to."

"Tell me everything you remember," Tonks said. "And, to be blunt, it doesn't seem like you've exactly put this behind you. So why don't you tell me everything you've learned, and then we'll figure out where to research and investigate next."

"Like Aurors," Ruella said.

"Just like that," said Tonks. "There is no universal fix for Curses. So the first step is to know exactly what we're dealing with."

* * *

"This is hopeless," said Ruella. "There are too many possibilities."

Tonks blinked and looked up from the dusty book she was skimming.

"At least we're making progress. Look at how much we've ruled out. And the more we can narrow it down right here, the easier it will be if we have to request materials from somewhere else. Or make a trip."

Ruella sighed and went back to her stack.

"You talked to Caleb at all?" she asked after a time.

"No, you know I'd have told you."

"He's too good at avoiding if he wants to," Ruella said. "I would go to some of his Quidditch teammates, but the last thing I want is Caleb trying to avoid them too."

Tonks nodded and kept reading. It seemed like all she'd done for a week. They'd told Madam Pince it was a side project to give them an edge when they applied to be Aurors. Luckily the librarian liked Tonks, and she'd started to let them stay on past closing. Not to mention the obscure books she kept digging up from who knew where. She was starting to understand that Pince was fundamentally a bored witch, one who jumped at any distraction from the endless cycle of whiny new students. 

"We should ask Pomfrey," said Ruella. "She already knows what we should be looking at."

Tonks was tired of this argument, but she was tired of reading. Maybe they could wheedle something out of Pomfrey.

"OK," she said. "Let's try. Honestly I think we'd have a better chance with Dumbledore, and I don't think that's a great chance either."

The hospital wing was winding down for the evening. They waited for someone to show up and eventually Pomfrey opened the door. She glowered when she saw the two of them.

"So what's it this time? You set each others' asses on fire or something?"

"No, we're fine," said Tonks quickly. "But we have something to ask you." Pomfrey nodded and herded them into an examination room.

Ruella took the lead, as they'd rehearsed.

"We need to know more about the curse that's afflicting my brother," she said. "I know it's killing him, and we're going nuts digging around for anything we can do. Of course it's probably pointless, but at least it's something."

Pomfrey stayed expressionless. "I don't discuss patients' health. If you need counseling, I'd be more than happy to help you arrange it with Madam Zerbona."

"But I'm his sister," Ruella said, struggling to keep calm. "I deserve to know."

"He's an adult," Pomfrey said. "What he tells you is his decision." 

Tonks cut in. "We've made some progress. Ruella knows a lot about the circumstances of the attack, and I've studied Curses extensively in my training. I think we –"

"Do you think we are lacking in experts?" Pomfrey asked. "Should it be necessary we can call on any number of London specialists." She shook her head. "Tonks, if you're thinking of applying your talents and expertise towards Healing, I would be delighted to sponsor you, and you would excel. After years of training. Until then, both of you: take my advice seriously. Madam Zerbona is a good counselor."

She opened the door, and Ruella and Tonks had no choice but to retreat.

"It was worth a shot," said Tonks, though it had gone pretty much as she expected.

"We should try Dumbledore," said Ruella. "Or even Snape. Maybe we can get them to slip something –"

"Not yet," said Tonks. "Let's do a little more digging, maybe find something to show that we can contribute."

Ruella shook her head tiredly. But they had almost an hour until curfew. They could get in a little more. And then they'd go back to Hufflepuff to do their course work. Tonks was managing it, barely, but she could afford to let things slide a bit. She was more worried about Ruella. 

Saturday came, and Tonks awoke to a light knock on the door. She wiped her gritty eyes. Berella hadn't come in last night, but Tomoko was sitting up in confusion. It was pretty damn early.

"Sorry, Tomoko," she said softly. "That's for me."

Tomoko sleepily shook her head and settled back down. "Don't kill yourself, Tonks," she said. "There's more to living than work. You should come to the party tonight, after."

Ruella waited for her impatiently at the door, and Tonks let her in.

"Sorry, Ru, you know how slow I am in the morning."

The younger witch sighed and nodded while Tonks pulled out her clothes. She could skip a shower this morning. 

Ruella watched her as she started to take off her top. Feeling a bit hypocritical, Tonks turned away and tried to act casual. But in her nervousness she realized she'd altered herself. Well, she liked her breasts that way. She'd given it up for a while because she was having trouble remembering to eat enough. Tomoko was right, though. She needed to do at least some little things that were just for her if she was going to keep working this hard.

On their way to breakfast Ruella broke the silence.

"You have such a beautiful body," she said. "I don't know why you're so shy."

"Thanks, but you're beautiful, too, Ruella," Tonks said. "And I guess I've just always been shy."

"You were a good match for Caleb," said Ruella. "I'm glad you got to –" The silence stretched.

"Sorry," she said. "I miss the two of you together. I miss him. It's ridiculous that he's not even talking to me. Like he's cut us both out of his life. He's so shy, he doesn't even like it when I hug him. But he's always been there."

Tonks shook her head. "Don't talk about him like that. He'll be there for you again."

Tonks refilled her plate. It felt good to eat like this again. The bit of sparring would help, too. She hesitantly gave a light *push* and found her nipples sluggishly responding. That was good. It wasn't normal, the way she'd shut down the past couple weeks. 

They retired to their supply room. 

"Nothing dangerous," Tonks said. "Last thing we need is to annoy Pomfrey even more. Just exercise this time, right?"

"Right," said Ruella, and then she dived sideways to fire a mild hex. Tonks dodged and smiled.

"I keep coming back to the Auror," Tonks said. "You said you found news reports consistent with failed ambushes on two other houses. Or maybe practice runs. But he never mentioned them?"

"Yeah," said Ruella as she dodged a near-invisible silent jinx from Tonks. "Hey, that isn't fair. You're so much better at silent magic."

"Never too late to learn," Tonks taunted, and then Ruella realized she'd missed the true hex. She only managed to blast the laces off one shoe before Tonks tapped her on the nose with the end of her wand.

"Nicely done," said Ruella as she prodded the gluey mess holding her shoes down. "Colloshoo. Perfect for silent casting. Maybe you can help me practice it."

"You think the Auror was just being condescending to a teenage witch?" Tonks asked. She quickly undid the sticking charm.

"No," said Ruella. "Honestly he seemed a little unnerved I'd tracked him down. And what he said matches that report I showed you. That's the whole thing. I bullied him into telling the local office to give me a copy."

"He should have followed up on those other attacks," said Tonks. 

"I just assumed he was totally incompetent," said Ruella. "That's how he struck me when I talked to him." She concentrated and pointed her wand, then frowned at her single slightly gummy shoe.

"Or he was scared," said Tonks. 

Ruella stopped her practice and thought. "Yeah, now that you say it, he seemed a lot more scared than he should have been. I suppose I just assumed it was me. I can be pretty scary. Or so I liked to think."

"What if he was covering up something," said Tonks slowly. "Being threatened. They only caught that one American wizard, Zellick, and then he died suspiciously in Azkaban without revealing his associates. That sounds like the bigger fish tidying up after someone takes the fall."

"Lord Spurns," said Ruella darkly. "That's the dead end, the only name Zellick admitted before he went quiet at the trial. We have to find Spurns."

Tonks sighed. "It has to be a pseudonym. And a stupid one: Helotage Spurns. Maybe he just thinks it was clever. Nobody's pawn, this Death Eater, except of course that all of them are. But like you said, it's a dead end. Even the Death Eaters probably didn't always know exactly who they were working with."

"Yeah," said Ruella. "But you're on to something with the Auror. If he was threatened, either he was working with them or he knows something. And it's hard to imagine that idiot working with the Death Eaters."

"Let's keep him in mind," said Tonks. "And how about I show you another couple charms that are killer if you can pull them off silently."


	12. Chapter 12

"So you're really not going?" Tomoko held up another dress to herself and frowned in the mirror.

"I won't enjoy it," Tonks said. "And without me there Caleb might be able to relax a little." Assuming Kat could convince him to go. At least he still talked to his teammates.

Tomoko sighed and walked over to sit next to Tonks. "It doesn't look like it's going to change, does it?"

"No," she said. "No, I've pretty much accepted that now. He certainly knows how to cut someone off."

"Then you shouldn't spend all your effort trying to make him happy, should you? You sure you wouldn't enjoy it, if you weren't thinking about Caleb's feelings?"

"And if the world were made of Leavenstone, who knows what that Tonks would enjoy?" Tonks replied testily. "You ready to go to the game yet?"

"Fair enough," said Tomoko. "Let's go then."

Tonks was starting to get the hang of the gameplay, though she knew she was missing a lot. Kat seemed on fire tonight, scoring goal after goal past the Slytherin Keeper, and the other Chasers followed her lead. 

"Amazing!" Tomoko said. The game dragged on as the Snitch seemed particularly nasty tonight, and Hufflepuff's lead expanded.

Tonks kept watching Caleb. He was as focused as ever, but something wasn't quite right. At one point he took a hard swing and nearly seemed to lose his balance. Tonks gripped Ruella's hand.

"I know," she whispered. "He's slow. Maybe he's just been working too hard."

But neither of them really believed it. Finally the game ended as Slytherin's Seeker captured the Snitch. 

The three of them found their way to the team, where Kat was the center of an admiring throng, one that to Tonks' surprise included Caleb.

He turned as they approached, but he didn't try to escape. Tonks stayed back while Ruella waded in.

"Hey, bro," she said, and put her hand gently on his arm. "Good to see you play, like always."

Caleb nodded. "Thanks for coming. Both of you." He looked quickly past her to Tonks, and she gave him her best smile.

"I hope you're going to the party tonight," Caleb said. "I think last time you were the highlight of the night for a few guys."

"That's sweet, Caleb," Ruella said. "But I think I'll stay in and keep Tonks company. She's helping me a lot with Auror prep."

He nodded, and then smiled wearily. "I'm glad you two are spending so much time together," he said. "So, see you around I guess?"

"I guess," said Ruella sadly. "Caleb, I miss you."

"Me too," said Caleb. "I'm so busy, and –"

"Tonks explained what's up," Ruella said. "And I'm not any more OK with it than she is. Caleb, we're right here."

"I know," he said. "Believe me, I know." He shook his head and turned to go.

"Have a good time at the party," said Tonks. "If you don't take time for yourself, you won't get done what you want. Let yourself relax, even just for part of the evening."

He looked back at Tonks, and the desperation hiding in his eyes confirmed her fears. He quickly turned and moved off.

"I'm going to be sick," said Ruella. "Let's get home."

Tonks didn't feel like facing Tomoko right now, so they retreated to Ruella's room. Her roommates were out and they sat on her bed.

"It's really happening," Ruella said. "I thought, maybe –"

"Yeah."

They sat, and for lack of anything else they argued for a while about some of the latest Curse candidates.

"No, that's not it," said Tonks. "It does glow, but only very slightly. And it varies a bit with his pulse."

Ruella looked horrified and fascinated. "Why didn't you tell me that before? Wait, he actually let you see it? Oh, of course he did. Sorry."

"Even with me he barely let me see it," she said. "He kept his shirt on mostly."

Ruella started to blush. 

"Tonks," she said. "You were so good to him. You treated him like his body was just perfect, just like any other guy you'd been with, and I can't imagine how much that meant to him …"

"What other guys, Ru?" Tonks said tiredly. "I don't know why you think I'm so experienced. Anyway, everyone's beautiful. It's always our own bodies that are hard come to grips with."

Ruella stared open-mouthed at Tonks.

"Oh," she said nervously. "Oh, shit, I asked you what it was like to have sex with *Caleb*?"

Tonks looked at her in confusion, and then she remembered. She put her hand over her mouth and started to giggle.

Ruella was turning even redder, but soon she started to laugh as well. 

"You could have pretended not to notice," said Tonks between gasps. "Maybe that's what we should do now."

"Sure," said Ruella, before giggling again. "I'm glad the sex was good."

"Stop it!" Tonks said.

Ruella's door opened, and one of her roommates came in. Big-boobed Talia. Tonks had a vague memory of seeing those heavy round tits come into the shower along with their owner, just before she'd closed her eyes and started to come mightily atop Caleb. And somehow it was just too absurd. She laughed even louder. Talia stared at them with mild annoyance.

"Sorry, Talia, we're just going," said Ruella. "Have a good evening."

They wandered back into the hall. 

"Talia's all right," said Ruella, "but I think she was born without a humor gland."

"Let's hit my room," said Tonks. "Tomoko should be all dressed up and gone by now. And Berella's never in on the weekends anymore."

"Oh?" said Ruella. "And what's she getting up to then?"

"Probably exactly what you think," said Tonks. 

Sure enough Tomoko had disappeared. But she'd left Tonks a present. 

Tonks sighed and shook her head as she collected the tiny purple thong and lacy bra from her bed.

"Tomoko must have picked these out to cheer me up," said Tonks. 

Ruella grinned. "You going to try them on?" 

Tonks shook her head. "Maybe later," she said. She almost changed her mind when she saw Ruella's disappointment. But it was probably for the best. Tonks was starting to feel slightly drunk, as though her body were trying to medicate her against her worries about Caleb. She let herself remember that moment with Caleb and Ruella's roommate one more time, and she sighed.

Ruella took the underwear from her hands, not quite ready to leave the topic. She held the bra up over her clothes and shook her head. "Maybe someday," she said. "I hardly need one, really."

"I like them," said Tonks. 

"Thanks, Tonks. I wish – well, I guess you were right. Anyone's body but mine."

Ruella held up the thong and started to giggle. "This is outright ridiculous," she said. "Does that even cover all the parts? Merlin, I'd have to shave everything off. 'Depilio! Depilio Maximo!'. I tested that stupid charm once and it stung for days. But I probably should get used to it, if I ever want a guy –"

"No!" Tonks blurted. "I mean, only do that if you want to. Don't make assumptions about what guys want, or girls for that matter. They might surprise you."

Why had she put it that way? She was so awkward when she was horny, and now she'd all but admitted something else personal to Ruella. But Ruella just looked tired.

"Yeah, I guess you're right. And I heard you shouldn't make hasty decisions about hair when you're upset. I suppose it goes for all kinds of hair."

"I suppose so," said Tonks. Though she was hardly one to talk.

Ruella dropped the underwear and flopped on the bed.

"Tonks, what are we going to do?" she said.

Tonks got on the bed beside her. 

"I don't know, Ru. Just keep on going with what we're doing. I feel like we almost have enough to confront Dumbledore."

"That's the thing, Tonks. When we talk to Dumbledore, I'm terrified we might find out it truly is hopeless. Pomfrey was right that Caleb's getting the best attention he could anywhere. Are we just fooling ourselves?"

"We have the time," said Tonks. "We have the motivation, more than any of them could. The Auror couldn't or wouldn't figure out what the curse was, but we already know he didn't do his job. We're starting to do it for him, and maybe that's the missing piece."

"Yeah," said Ruella, wiping her eyes. "As long as we're fast enough. I could have done so much more. Why didn't I keep digging back then, and focus on what was important? Why didn't I keep at it?"

"You didn't know about Caleb yet," said Tonks. "Revenge is a shitty motivator compared with love."

Ruella looked at her with reddened eyes.

"You're right. Caleb doesn't have a vengeful bone in his body. He loves everyone so fucking much that he's going to try to make us all safe right until the moment he dies. He's never going to let us back in." She started to cry. When Tonks pulled her into a hug, the dam broke and she sobbed uncontrollably, clutching Tonks.

"What's wrong with me? Sorry, Tonks," she mumbled, "… last thing you need right now."

"Shh," said Tonks, and she rocked Ruella gently. Just as Kat had done for her. She stroked Ruella's cheek and the girl shuddered and curled tighter.

Tonks was bent awkwardly, so she carefully adjusted until she lay next to Ruella. After a while she pulled the blanket over the two of them, and Ruella sighed.

"Can I stay here tonight, Tonks? Like a sleepover? I never got to do that. I don't want to be alone right now."

"OK," said Tonks, and she held the younger witch tight.

Eventually Tonks' stomach grumbled noisily, causing Ruella to giggle.

"Yeah, I should probably grab my second dinner," said Tonks. She stroked Ruella's hair and rolled over to the dresser drawer that she now kept stocked with snacks, ready for her to Summon almost anywhere.

Ruella joined her and gazed at the array of food.

"Wow," she said. "You take this seriously, don't you."

"Mmph," said Tonks as she tore through a granola bar. She gestured invitingly at the array, and Ruella took a single biscuit. Tonks continued stuffing herself until the hunger faded. She hadn't kept up her boobs like this all day in a while. The food cravings were worth it.

They hit the bathroom and Tonks took the opportunity to get in her pajamas. When they returned, she asked Ruella if she needed to borrow anything to sleep in.

"Uh, just a shirt maybe. I don't wear that much."

Tonks selected one, and Ruella quickly pulled off her own shirt and bra. Tonks got a brief glimpse of her tiny breasts before Ruella slipped on the shirt. Tonks climbed into bed, and after hesitating briefly Ruella pulled her trousers off and turned off the lights. Tonks made space and Ruella awkwardly slid in next to her.

The beds really weren't designed for two, and Ruella didn't seem entirely comfortable with the physical closeness.

"It's OK if we get closer," said Tonks softly. "This is nice for me."

Ruella relaxed slightly and eventually they settled with Tonks loosely spooned behind her.

"This is more awkward than I'd realized," said Ruella. "You sure it's OK?"

"Yeah," said Tonks. "I'm feeling better already. Let's get some sleep."

Much later Tonks partially woke up when Tomoko returned. In this at least her roommate was always quiet. Ruella had rolled onto her back but they were still pressed together. Tomoko had probably noticed that Tonks had company, but it didn't bother Tonks. She shifted her head to Ruella's shoulder and drifted back to sleep.

Some slight, familiar noise woke her, and she blinked. Was Tomoko really doing that, with Ruella in the room? Ruella shifted slightly, letting out the tiniest sigh.

Oh. Not Tomoko then. Tonks' heart raced. Ruella probably thought she was being quiet enough, just as Tomoko probably did. Without moving, Tonks carefully surrounded them in a light privacy spell. It was enough to muffle the small noises, without being obvious.

"Tonks?" Ruella whispered. Oh, damn. She'd forgotten that Ruella was really sensitive to her privacy spells.

Her arm lay over Ruella's stomach. She stroked lightly and tilted her head to Ruella's ear.

"This is really nice, Ru. I'm sorry I interrupted you. Keep going, if you want."

Ruella tensed up. "I wasn't – what are you talking about, Tonks?"

"Remember what I said about people who deny it," said Tonks. "And I have no doubt you need it. I sure do."

Ruella let out her breath. "This is so embarrassing," she said.

"Doesn't have to be," said Tonks. She brushed her fingers until she found Ruella's bare hip. The girl had pulled down her underwear a little. She raked her fingernails lightly down the skin, slipping them briefly under the elastic band. Ruella shivered.

"Want me to stop?" she asked.

"No."

The word hung there, and then Ruella shifted a little closer to Tonks. Her hips rocked slightly as she started again.

With her other hand Tonks traced slow circles around Ruella's large nipples through her shirt. Ruella shivered when she slid her palm across the nipple, and Tonks kissed her neck. She traced Ruella's arm down, further and further, gently brushing the back of Ruella's hand where it quickly worked between the girl's legs. Ruella whimpered and Tonks kept stroking, alternating with running her fingers through Ruella's thick bush.

Suddenly Ruella gripped the hand on her chest. She shook silently for most of a minute, then slowly melted against Tonks.

"That was –"

"Beautiful," finished Tonks, wrapping her tight. "Thank you so much."

They drifted off to sleep again, entwined like lovers.

* * *

Tonks opened her eyes. She had slept brilliantly, and well into the morning as usual, but she hadn't woken up with someone like this since Caleb. And precious few times with him. He was still so nervous about propriety. Tomoko had already gotten up, and though they were hidden under the covers she was pretty sure that ship had sailed. She didn't feel particularly worried, as Tomoko had more than enough wisdom not to spread this particular gossip.

Ruella lay against her, body warm and slightly sticky with sweat. Some of her hair tickled Tonks' nose, and she smiled. 

She'd let Ruella waken on her own. Her mind drifted lazily around, fixing eventually on her main topic of study. They'd found five or six curses mentioned in one or another old account that were consistent with all the evidence. But she suspected there were many more that had never been adequately documented. Worse, Voldemort was a genius at nasty new magic, and he wasn't shy about sharing tidbits with his acolytes.

That left Fordham, the American Auror. They could track him down again and find a way to make him talk. Maybe learn who Lord Spurns was. Helotage Spurns. It felt unfamiliar and awkward to her ears. Surely he could have made up better name if he were trying to style himself a dangerous, free man.

Helotage Spurns. Maybe it was some play on his real name, a synonym or something. Or an anagram! It was the right length for a real name. She'd always been good at silly word games. She'd spent hours growing up playing them with her mother, who'd apparently done the same with her sisters. It might be the only positive memory Mother had ever shared of childhood.

Tonks started running through the letters and found … Slughorn. Surely not him? Slughorn had seemed like a pompous ass when she'd met him at last year's graduation, but she couldn't imagine him being involved. Anyway, the rest of the letters were wrong. She didn't know anyone else in his family, but she played with the letters for a while. Nothing seemed like a name.

Fourteen letters. Or eighteen, if the 'Lord' was part of it. A longish name. 

The name floated into her head and her blood froze.

Rodolphus Lestrange. 

"No," she whispered, starting to shake. But it fit. It made too much sense to be a coincidence. 

"Tonks," said Ruella, rubbing her eyes. "What's wrong?" Nervously she pulled herself free of Tonks and got her underwear less indecent.

"Oh, Ruella, it's not you. Last night was wonderful." She sighed. "It's what I needed to let my brain work something out. Ruella, I know who Lord Spurns is: it's an anagram for my uncle, Rodolphus Lestrange."

Ruella's eyes went wide. "Merlin! He was one of the worst! Sorry, Tonks."

Tonks shook her head. "I have a bullshit family tree. But so do all the wizards, really. At least that horrible man is just by marriage."

"Do you think she – Bellatrix could have been involved?" said Ruella.

"Who knows," said Tonks. "I thought she stuck here in the UK most of the war, racking up atrocities. But I thought that about her husband too. Anyway, they worked together sometimes, but they weren't particularly close."

"They're both in Azkaban anyway," said Ruella suddenly. "Out of our reach. We can't learn anything from them now."

"We never could have," said Tonks. "They'd just pick the lie that amused them the most. The Aurors never got anything useful from either of them."

"So it's still a dead end," said Ruella.

"Maybe," said Tonks. "But it's information, and that always helps. And I think we have enough for Dumbledore now, don't you?"

She got out of bed and started pulling out clothes for the day. They were going to fix Caleb, she knew it. One step, then the next. She started pacing across the room, planning out the day.

"Tonks," said Ruella. She was still under the covers. "What we did – what happened last night. It was – damn it, could you slow down for a minute, Tonks?"

She'd meant to make the time to sit and talk. Ruella was younger and even less comfortable about sex than Tonks had been before Caleb. She could be such an selfish idiot sometimes. 

She sat and put her hand on Ruella's shoulder.

"I get so carried away. I'm sorry, Ru. Go ahead."

"Are we dating now?" Ruella blurted. 

"I don't know. Do you want to be?" Tonks asked. "For me, it seemed like a really nice thing two friends did together. Maybe it was a mistake to think it was that easy. I haven't thought much beyond that."

"So, we could keep being friends, then?" said Ruella. "Just like we were?"

"I don't see why not. It was something that just happened, and I for one enjoyed it. I mean, we're both pretty darned lonely."

Ruella smiled with relief and sat up next to Tonks.

"Yeah. OK. But, you think maybe – maybe it might happen again sometime?"

Tonks started to laugh. 

"It might just," she said. "Who knows what the future holds anyway?"

"Who knows?" Ruella agreed, smiling. And then her face fell.

Of course, Tonks thought. Caleb knew.

"We'll save him," Tonks said. "Let's prepare for Dumbledore, and then we'll figure out what's next."


	13. Chapter 13

* * * Chapter 13 * * *

Dumbledore was away on one of his endless mysterious trips. On Monday after classes, the two sat nervously in Professor McGonagall's office.

"The Headmaster is a busy wizard," she said. "Exactly what is it that only he can help you with?"

"It's really important. But it's complicated," said Ruella.

"And private," Tonks interrupted. Well, parts of it anyway. Not the parts she intended to explain to Dumbledore.

McGonagall sighed and pushed her glasses up to look at Tonks a long while. Tonks always had the uncomfortable impression that McGonagall was aware of how much she held back in Transfigurations classwork. It seemed to come out in a certain look of perpetual disappointment despite Tonks' class-leading excellence.

"All right," she said. "You two aren't ones to be frivolous. I'll mark you in his schedule Friday, just after he gets back."

They stood up quickly and thanked her.

"Ruella, Tonks," she said. Her stern mask broke for a minute. "I'm so sorry. We're doing everything we can for him."

Ruella nodded tearily.

"So are we," Tonks said quietly. McGonagall smiled sadly and they made their way out.

"I guess we should take the chance to catch up on classwork," said Tonks. Ruella agreed reluctantly.

"Hey, Tonks." They turned and saw Kat hurrying to join them. "You got a minute?"

"Sure, Kat, what's up?" 

Kat glanced quickly at Ruella, who got the hint. 

"If you need a break for some sparring or something I'm sure you can find me in the common room poking at that stupid Arithmancy assignment." She headed off.

"Sorry about that," said Kat. The two of them found a quiet spot and Kat wove a privacy spell.

Kat was clearly uncomfortable, but she squared herself.

"I don't know that it's even your business, except that I fucked up, so you're probably going to hear, and it seemed better if I warned you. Caleb and I slept together after the party."

"Oh," Tonks said. She waited for the jealousy, but to her surprise it wasn't there. Instead she felt something unclench, a growing relief warming her.

"Oh, I'm so glad he was willing," she said. "I've been worried sick about Caleb, that he wouldn't take any time just to enjoy himself. Thank you so much for being there for him. I mean, sorry, that's rude, you weren't doing it for charity I'm sure."

Kat started to laugh with incredulity. "You are something else, Tonks," she said. "A better person than I could be, I think. I was all prepared with the excuses, you know. We'd both drunk a lot, we were lonely, just like you and me … Anyway. No, it wasn't charity, and Merlin knows I enjoyed it. I feel terribly guilty, though. And I'm worried that I made it even less likely for you two …"

"We were already finished," said Tonks. "I doubt you could change it either way. I think he could do it with you because it didn't hurt him the way it would to spend more time with me. No offense."

Kat sighed. "None taken. Tonks, you must know he's not doing so great. I'll do everything I can to get him to at least talk with you. I don't understand him, Tonks, I really don't. He seems so totally devoted to whatever that Divination schoolwork is, like that's the most important thing in the world to spend his efforts on. It doesn't make sense to me, Tonks."

"None of it does," said Tonks. "I guess we all have to cope in our own ways. And thank you, again. For always being there with him. Your friendship means a lot to him."

Kat gripped her hand and then quickly got up. "Practice calls," she said. "Tonks, he may not be able to keep playing much longer. But the team will be with him until the end. I'm pretty sure the others have started to guess, though I followed Caleb's wishes and haven't told anyone."

They hugged and separated.

* * *

"SOOOooo," Georgia said, flopping down on the adjacent couch. "I hear Caleb's moving up the ladder then? I suppose Kat must be pretty desperate right now. I mean, compared to Gregor,"

"He's another perfectly great person who she likes," Tonks said. "People are people, Georgia."

Ruella stared at the two of them. Georgia seemed confused by Tonks' reply, and eventually she wandered off for less vexing company.

"What the hell was that about?" asked Ruella. "Was that what Kat wanted to talk about? Are they …"

"It doesn't matter," said Tonks softly. "Kat and I still like each other, Caleb's still not talking to me, but maybe he had a nice evening with a friend." She squeezed Ruella's hand lightly. "Take joy where we can, right?"

Ruella looked at their hands, then back at Tonks. She took a deep breath. "About that," she said.

Five minutes later, Tonks was leading her down the corridor to the defunct bathroom.

"I don't know, Tonks," Ruella said, giggling. "Seems a little kinky to do anything in a boys' bathroom."

Tonks locked and hexed the door thoroughly. Then she closed her eyes and lifted her wand. 

She hadn't come back here with Caleb after that first time. They'd been so focused on the enjoyable features of the other spot. But she'd sometimes thought about how it could look if she gave herself free rein. 

She heard a few gasps of astonishment. Finally she opened her eyes to examine the results.

They were in a forest clearing. Above them a crescent moon and stars provided soft light. The air was moist, and a few birds chirped. 

They sat on the couch, which she'd fancied up to look like a fallen log. It was the same one as last time, which gave her a perverse little thrill.

"Tonks," said Ruella. "This is the most beautiful magic I've ever seen. I thought your dueling magic was impressive, but this is - wow. You weren't kidding about holding back in Transfigurations."

Tonks leaned over and kissed Ruella on the lips. The other witch twitched back.

"Oh, Tonks, I'm so nervous. I don't even know what to do with a guy, let alone a girl. But that's stupid. It should be easier, shouldn't it?"

"Maybe," said Tonks. "You like what we did that night?"

"Of course I did," said Ruella. "But that's different. I mean, that was mostly me doing what I knew would work."

"So let's do that, then," said Tonks. "Both of us. Then we can learn what the other one likes."

Ruella looked at her. "OK, I could do that. Merlin, I'm kind of curious I guess."

Tonks squeezed her hand and began to unbutton her shirt. Ruella looked at her with nervous interest. She let out a sigh when Tonks finished undoing her bra.

"You're perfect," Ruella said. Tonks felt a twinge of guilt. But this was the version of her breasts she liked. Just like her hair, she reminded herself. She had an impulse to tell Ruella the truth, but something stopped her. Maybe it was just her lifelong habit of secrecy.

Ruella began to disrobe herself, and soon they sat naked next to each other.

"You're so beautiful," Tonks said, and she meant it. She was only a bit horny, but looking at Ruella like this was doing the job. She gently pulsed her clit, she hoped invisibly.

"You too," said Ruella. "Sorry, this is a little weird for me."

"I'll get started, then. You can join any time you want."

Tonks couldn't help but trace back to the time she'd seen Ruella masturbating in the shower. And then of course she traced further back, to that horrible moment when Caleb had gotten scared. And further back, to the incredible feel of his dick pushing into her from behind. She groaned slightly.

Ruella's eyes darted away, then back. Finally she closed them and cautiously began to touch herself.

Tonks sighed again and imagined running her tongue through that lush forest of hair. But her mind circled back to Caleb again. His fingers, his tongue, his dick.

"What are you thinking about?" Ruella asked softly. 

It wasn't as though Ruella couldn't guess.

"Caleb," she said. "Hard not to."

Ruella sighed and spread her legs more, bumping into Tonks.

"You said he was gentle," she mumbled. "I knew he would be."

Tonks grunted agreement. Her fantasies had suddenly incorporated Ruella into them, the girl watching as Caleb fucked Tonks, moving closer and closer.

Tonks shifted closer and leaned over to plant a quick kiss on Ruella's nipple. Ruella gasped, and the fat nipple hardened in her mouth. She began to lick around it.

"Tonks, uh, no, I don't think –"

Tonks quickly pulled away. Ruella opened her eyes and looked at her nervously.

"I – it's not you, Tonks. You're beautiful, and that felt really good. It's just not – oh, bother, I keep wanting you to be a guy."

"Want to stop?" asked Tonks.

Ruella looked at her for a while. "No, not really. But let's just stick to ourselves. I'll close my eyes again. And maybe we can keep talking?"

"That works," said Tonks, and they settled back again.

Tonks had a powerful urge to change herself, make herself shaped like someone Ruella wanted. She kept her magic in check. But in her mind she was growing a huge dick, pushing Ruella back. Fucking her just like she imagined the other time.

"What was it like?" Ruella asked nervously. "What does it feel like to have sex?"

"You sure you want to hear?" Tonks asked.

Ruella was breathing quickly, her hand flicking with precision. She nodded.

"It was wonderful. The second time was a lot less awkward than the first, and it kept getting better. It's – well, he filled me up completely. I think he might be, uh, large in that department. Ruella, you sure? I don't mind but I feel like I'm oversharing."

Ruella shook her head. "Keep going."

Tonks was rapidly losing any doubts about the nature of Ruella's fantasies. "I guess my favorite position was straddling his lap, letting him nibble on my tits while I sank onto him all the way, or at least as far as I could. The feeling of him coming inside me like that –"

Ruella gasped and started to come, letting out cute little squeaks with every pulse. While she was distracted Tonks let her magic flow more powerfully, borrowing Kat's clit and even some of Ruella's. She finally reached her own climax just as Ruella was finishing.

They sat in silence for a bit. It had been a decent orgasm for Tonks, but she knew what was missing, and she wondered again why she couldn't let down her guard with Ruella. She wondered idly how the girl react if she showed what she actually could do.

"Where are the toilets?" Ruella asked sheepishly. Tonks waved at the vegetation masking the stalls and an outline appeared. Ruella took her wand and clothes with her.

Tonks did her own cleanup, paying special attention to the poor abused couch. Someone might eventually start wondering why the thing kept going missing, and she didn't want any incriminating evidence.

She was mostly dressed when Ruella came back to sit down.

"Tonks, I – I don't know if that was such a great idea," she said.

"If it didn't work out the way you wanted, we don't have to do it again," said Tonks. "Nothing we did changes our friendship a bit, Ru. It was fun for me in any case."

Ruella shook her head. "Tonks, how can you forget what I – I'm sorry I asked you all that. It was really perverted. He's my brother."

"Ru, I'm not lying when I say it doesn't matter to me a bit. You guys love each other so much it hurts. Why shouldn't that get all mixed up with everything else? And perverted? Merlin, you have no idea the kinds of things I fantasize about. I wish I could lower my guard as easily as you just trusted me. Believe me, I understand shame. And I also know that sharing things you were ashamed of can be cathartic. I'm certainly willing to think of it that way."

"Tonks … thanks. I'm not sure I totally believe all that, but it means everything to hear you say it."

"So, friends?"

"Friends. And now, I hate to say it, but I really do need to do that stupid Arithmancy." Ruella looked up at the false night sky. "What a shame to have to let this go."

"Yeah," said Tonks. "I might actually be able to leave the ceiling. I put a little too much power into that one. But everything else will probably rot, and I'd better send the birds I Conjured somewhere better than a bathroom until they disappear back to wherever it is they come from."

When she'd finished and unlocked the door, they took one last look.

"Maybe we could come back sometime," said Ruella. "Even just to talk."

"I'd like that," said Tonks, and they headed their separate ways.


	14. Chapter 14

* * * Chapter 14 * * *

First thing Friday morning found them waiting outside Dumbledore's office. Tonks was going to miss Transfigurations, but McGonagall had just waved it off. 

"It's OK," Ruella told Tonks. "We're as well-prepared as we could be."

Tonks nodded, but she kept pacing. They had to pitch their ideas just right. 

The door to the office opened, and they followed the Headmaster inside. He seemed to be doing his best attempt of a friendly smile, which Tonks always thought looked slightly terrifying. The vague, distracted look was better.

They sat across from him, and Ruella began.

"We've been researching the Curse that killed my mother and is doing the same to Caleb. I was just a child when it happened, of course, but in the years afterwards I did a lot of work on my own to understand what had happened and trace who was responsible."

Dumbledore looked like he wanted to interrupt, but he kept his mouth shut. When Ruella began to describe some of her observations when she returned to the site five years later, Dumbledore began to show more interest.

"So we began digging through all the Hogwarts books," said Tonks. "Madame Pince was quite helpful." She proceeded to describe some of the Curses they considered candidates. Dumbledore shook his head slightly as she went through the list, but then he interrupted.

"The Harrial killing in 1760? What makes you think of that?"

"It was the pattern in the foundation of my old house," said Ruella. "I understand it's similar –" she glanced at Tonks, "similar to the patterning on Caleb's torso. And if you're familiar with the Harrial case, there was a witness who described a pattern like that in the air afterwards, though it faded before anyone could corroborate it."

Dumbledore nodded slowly. "I did not know that detail," he said. "An intriguing parallel. But I'm afraid there are other aspects that are not a good match." 

Tonks waited, but he didn't elaborate. Nervously, she continued down the list. Finally she exhausted their possibilities. Ruella opened her mouth to talk about their other ideas, but Dumbledore interrupted.

"I'm sorry," he said. "This is excellent research, truly excellent. But the truth is there are far too many possibilities. Aside from the Harrial example we had discussed each of these, and indeed attempted to treat Caleb for many of them, along with many others you have not mentioned. Ruella, the details you shared of the scene provide a few more potential places to look, but without knowing more specifics I can't be optimistic.

"But that's the thing," interrupted Ruella. "The Auror didn't do his job! If those details were new, it's because Fordham was sloppy in the first place. I found reports of other non-fatal house explosions in the area weeks before, and the full Auror report doesn't even mention it! When I tracked him down, Fordham claimed he didn't know anything about them and they weren't relevant. We think he was being threatened!"

Tonks shook her head warningly. They'd agreed not to suggest this possibility.

Dumbledore fixed his piercing eyes on each of them in turn, his expression closed.

"We are doing everything we can, as Madam Pomfrey already explained to you. I am sorry that Caleb has elected not to explain his prognosis, but as she said we are bound by his wishes. If you –"

"I am his SISTER," Ruella hissed. 

"And you are a minor. Given Caleb's condition we would release his information to his father without an express denial, but –"

"You know my father," said Ruella quietly. "You know what will happen when – IF Caleb dies. I'll be the one responsible for our family, minor or not."

Dumbledore sighed, acknowledging her point. He looked briefly at Tonks and presumably decided anything he told Ruella would reach her anyway.

"The Curse until now has affected only structural muscle and bone. Unfortunately it has now started to affect one lung. We are considering having a specialist perform an operation, but the best that can do is delay things. His heart is in jeopardy, and I'm afraid he has months at most. Snape's medications have already extended his life beyond what we thought possible. It is a tragedy to lose someone so young, so uniquely gifted, and so selfless. I strongly recommend you see –"

Everything clicked into place in Tonks' mind. Of course. Caleb would have told him. And there was nothing more valuable than knowledge like Caleb's.

"YOU KNEW," she said, and she felt the horrible power inside her begin to scream. The room darkened.

"Tonks!" Ruella hissed. 

"Caleb came to you," she said. She breathed deeply, asserting an icy control over her magic. Let him see what she was capable of. Let him know they were not children to be trifled with. Tiny clouds began to gather in the space above Dumbledore's desk.

"He came to you, and you saw his power. You finally gave him what he wanted: a way to really change things. A way to make everyone a little safer."

Dumbledore's eyes widened slowly as he watched her magic unfold. She felt the nimbus surrounding her, the power controlled even without her wand, without any words to shape. The air began to move in the room, a damp breeze that ruffled papers and began to gain power.

"No, Tonks," said Ruella softly, but she didn't understand. This was Tonks in control, the Auror that her opponents would only see when it was too late.

Dumbledore cleared his throat, looking remarkably unperturbed by the growing magic.

"Yes," he said. "Caleb has spent far more energy on this task than I have advised him. He has a remarkable drive to help. He represents the best of Hufflepuff, the best of any of us, and it has been humbling –"

"OF COURSE HE HAS, YOU IDIOT," Tonks yelled. The clouds sparked and small bolts of lightning began to crackle and boom as they discharged off the ceiling and nearby wall.

"Caleb has spent his entire fucking life trying to make up for not saving his mother. And you finally gave him the chance to try to make it right! He snatched it and he's sacrificing his last good days because YOU are letting him try to fix a pain that can never be fixed. You're using him." 

The aura around her brightened even as the rest of the room fell dark. A finger of cloud dipped down, spinning faster and faster, becoming a blur in its tight fury.

Dumbledore glanced up and finally lifted his wand. With a whisper he caused all her magic to melt away, leaving nothing but three slightly ruffled wizards and a desk dripping with fresh rain.

He fixed his eyes on Tonks, and she suddenly knew he saw right through her, to the vaster portion of dangerous power she'd been too frightened to touch, and perhaps even her body's own strange abilities.

"Minerva was right," he said. "You hide remarkable gifts. And you have an adult's control, despite appearances. There is an uncomfortable ring of truth to your accusations, and I'm honestly sorry. But what is it you two would like from me?"

"Let us help," said Ruella. "Let us see whatever notes you have, the books that we don't know about. Work with us. We have other information, too."

"We know who Lord Spurns is," said Tonks, and she was pleased to see Dumbledore instantly alert. "Rodolphus Lestrange, my uncle. Spurns is an anagram for his name, and it's the type of wordplay that my mother and her sisters used to do all the time."

Dumbledore leaned back. "Now, that's an interesting theory. If I recall, we lost track of his whereabouts for six months of the war, and I believe that does overlap with the attack in question."

"What about Bellatrix?" Ruella asked. 

Dumbledore shook his head. "She was all too well accounted for during that time, here in Britain."

"Give us permission to leave Hogwarts for brief periods, as necessary," said Tonks. "Let us investigate like proper Aurors. I am very competent at Apparating and can take Ruella with me."

Dumbledore looked at the two of them. Finally he made his decision.

"Tonks, you are of age, and there is nothing I can do to stop you if you wish to leave. But I can bend Hogwarts rules to allow you to remain enrolled, and arrange to speed your travel and provide other support. It is of course still your responsibility to complete your academic studies, and I hope you do not intend to jeopardize your stellar academic record. Unfortunately, I cannot allow Ruella to leave without her father's permission, and I suspect we all know the answer to that."

Ruella shook her head angrily, but Tonks took her hand. This was about as good an outcome as they could have hoped for. 

"I am allowing you to continue your investigations because I do not underestimate your abilities. I hold only a faint hope that you can uncover what we have not so far. But the bare truth is there are few individuals I would trust with a task like this, and there is simply more work than any of us can manage. You two have a chance, as slim as it may be, and I refuse to set that possibility aside. I will gather what resources can be of help and send them to you today."

He gestured at the door and Ruella and Tonks stood to leave.

"Find a way to make Caleb stop," Ruella said. "Make him realize he's already done more than anyone could have."

"I fear that may be beyond my control," said Dumbledore, "but I will try. Tonks, a word before you go."

Ruella glared at them before she went out to wait in the hall.

"You are not an Auror yet, Tonks," Dumbledore said softly. "You are a smart, extremely skilled witch, more than I'd realized. You will make a fantastic Auror once you have the full training. You already know as I do that these times are less peaceful than they look. This theory about Rodolphus has merit, but it is nowhere near enough to be sure. And if true, it increases immensely the danger of poking around this old history. There is no proof at all of that accusation about Fordham, and yet such things have certainly happened. Many of your uncle's associates are still free, and watching quietly.

Tonks, you must show the kind of caution and control in your investigations that you showed me while unleashing your magic. Keep me informed. And keep a close eye on Ruella. I believe you know how dangerous a temper like that can be for a powerful witch."

"Too well," agreed Tonks emphatically. She found she was shivering a little now that the confrontation was over.

"Nymphadora Tonks," Dumbledore said. "You are nothing like your aunt. Your fear of your capabilities proves that. Even more important is the love you're capable of. Hold fast to that, Tonks, no matter how much it hurts."

Tonks found Ruella impatiently pacing outside the office.

"I can't believe he won't let me go," she grumped. "But I guess we didn't expect him to allow either of us. We never really thought this far, did we? And Tonks, that magic! I can't believe you threatened Dumbledore with a fucking *tornado*! When I'm ninety years old and sitting in a home for grumpy old witches, I'll rock in my chair and smile about that. Oh, I know you don't want anyone to know about your abilities, but in a just world that display would make you a Hogwarts legend."

"I was in control of it," Tonks said, trying not to smile. "I would never have done him any harm. Maybe I was hoping to scare him just a little, but he saw right through it. In truth, I think it was the control that impressed him rather than the magic itself. You saw how easily he waved it all away."

"Yeah, but that's not the point. It was awesome."

As they walked back to Hufflepuff, Tonks suddenly felt very old. Dumbledore had treated them both as adults, which she appreciated immensely. But she knew at Ruella's age she couldn't have seen the two of them through his eyes. There was a real pain in his last words, and she realized in a flash that Dumbledore was more like Caleb than she'd realized. How many years had he been sacrificing his own wants or needs because he knew what the stakes were? Dumbledore should have known better with Caleb. 

"You OK, Tonks?"

"Yeah," she said. "A lot to think about. I believe I know where I'm going first, and it will take some preparation."

"To America?" Ruella breathed excitedly.

"No," said Tonks. "To see my mother."

* * *

When Ruella returned to her room at the end of classes, she discovered a large new folder amongst her classwork. Tonks joined her to look over Dumbledore's notes.

They were poorly organized, sketchy in places, and occasionally near impossible to decipher. But it was still an immense amount of information, complete with references to books in his own office that he'd given permission for them to borrow.

"See what sense you can make of this while I'm gone," said Tonks. "We're really on the trail now, Ru. We're going to figure this out." She headed back to her own room.

"Hey Tonks," said Tomoko with a smile. "You going to Hogsmeade tomorrow?"

"Uh, briefly. I got permission to visit my parents, so I'll be leaving first thing."

"Oh," said Tomoko. "Is everything all right?"

Tonks found she didn't want to lie to Tomoko. She supposed some of it would come out soon enough.

"Not really," she said. "Tomoko, everyone's going to know soon, but I'd rather you kept it quiet for now. Caleb's really sick. He's dying. He's known it for a long time, but you know him. He kept it secret from everyone, even me."

Tomoko's face fell. "Oh, Tonks, that's horrible. I'm so sorry." She walked over, and Tonks was surprised at how good it felt to throw herself into a hug.

"Is that why – is that why he broke up with you? That's crazy," she said. 

"Partly," said Tonks. "It's more complicated than that, and I'd rather not think about it right now."

"Yeah," said Tomoko. "Oh. Now I get it. He didn't tell Ruella either, did he? Crap. I'm glad she has you to keep her company."

"Don't try to talk to him about it, please," said Tonks. "He's in a fragile place, I think. We're doing what we can."

"All right, I guess," said Tomoko. "But tell me if there's anything I can do for you. Anything at all."

"This is good," said Tonks, hugging her tighter. 

"You've got a lifetime supply. No questions asked. Hugs, and more if you want it."

Tomoko said it lightly, but Tonks knew what she was offering. Part of her wanted it. And the rest of her knew she was too tired to hide all of herself. That kind of sharing was more than she was ready to ask of their friendship.

"Thanks, Tomoko," said Tonks, and she kissed her roommate on the cheek. "Don't think it's not tempting. For now let's leave it at hugs."

Tomoko sighed and gripped her tight. "I think you're wiser than me, Tonks."

"I doubt it," said Tonks. "Just more distracted. Now I need to lie down, plan strategy, and get some sleep. Visiting my parents is always tiring."

Tomoko groaned sympathetically and they parted.


	15. Chapter 15

* * * Chapter 15 * * *

Tonks breathed the crisp air of Hogsmeade with pleasure. She'd barely even been this year. The village was somehow smaller than she'd remembered, a memory no doubt still influenced by her first ecstatic view as a third-year.

It was only just getting light, which meant it was tragically early by Tonks' standards. But the trip to her parents' house was longer than it looked.

She reached the edge of the village, to the broad area designed for Apparating safety. She'd never actually come all the way here on her own, though while traveling with her parents she'd made longer hops last summer on her own power, to her mother's satisfaction.

Careful concentration, just as she'd been taught, and all of a sudden she was at the end of a familiar country lane. Damp trees swayed in the grey drizzle, and she put up the hood on her cloak. It would be a long, lonely walk to the house. When Tonks was a baby, her mother had found this location, an odd glen which was naturally inimical to Apparating. The road had other defenses as well. She'd pass without trouble, though they prevented her from using her broom to shorten the walk. In any case there was no question of surprising her parents.

And yet Bellatrix had done it.

Tonks was an adult. She'd be an Auror eventually, and she couldn't afford to dwell on childhood fears, no matter how well-founded. As she walked, she stretched her senses, feeling each new ward prickle and relax as she passed. And to her shock, she realized she had the skill to evade them. Her mother had spent months constructing them, and given her paranoia she had likely continued to enchant them over the years.

Even if Andromeda Tonks could not stand against her sister, she was a powerful witch. What did that make her daughter?

Tonks could offer to strengthen the wards, but that would only feed her mother's paranoia. Better to leave it be, as they would stop any ordinary wizard or Muggle easily. 

She hated this line of thought. But there was nothing like going home to remind her of how she'd felt all those years: a freak.

Still, she had a rush of warm emotion when she finally came in sight of the cosy farmhouse, smoke pouring from its chimney. Her parents had always loved her, and everything her mother had done over the years sprang from love and worry for her daughter.

The door opened and her father spilled out, arms open. She rushed to meet him, dropping her bag. He enfolded her in his strong arms.

"Dora! My darling, what an amazing surprise." He picked her up and spun her, and she let out an involuntary giggle.

"Dad! Stop it. I'm not a child, and you're –"

"Not as strong as I used to be? Hah! Well, that's true enough." He kissed her on the head. She looked up and saw her mother waiting at the door. Her face showed happiness and worry. Tonks walked over to give her one of the awkward hugs they always shared.

"Mother," she said, and her mother patted her on the back.

"Nymphadora – your hair," she said with a frown.

Tonks struggled not to lose her temper so early in the visit.

"I like it this way," she said. "I told you, Mother, everyone thinks it's just an ordinary charm. Lots of girls do it. Boys, too. I'm careful."

She hated how defensive she sounded. And she hated even more that this morning she'd let go of the breasts she was becoming so fond of. Her mother would have noticed the change, and that would have opened an immense can of worms.

True to form, as they went inside her father bubbled about the latest home projects, made cautious inquiries about school, and carefully avoided asking any direct questions about her visit.

"Ted," her mother said. "Why don't we let Nymphadora tell us why she's here."

The two exchanged that old look, and then Mother won the fight, as she usually did.

"Don't worry," said Tonks. "I have permission from Professor Dumbledore. Actually, it's related to a task – to something I'm working with him on." 

Her mother's expression darkened as she stumbled through her script, and she immediately understood she'd gone about this wrong. Dumbledore was a respectable wizard of authority. And he was associated with danger, exactly the kind of danger Tonks was intending to put herself in as an Auror. They'd fought about that enough.

She threw out her script and sighed.

"The truth is, Mother, it was my idea. There's a boy I love who's very sick, and I might just have a chance of helping him. I need your help."

Her parents stood still for a moment, and then she saw her mother's expression soften. But of course it was her father who pulled her into an embrace again.

"Dora, sweetie, I'm so sorry. Of course we'll help. What is it you need?"

Here was the worst part, and yet one that her mother would understand and respect.

"Dad – I think it's better if I talk to Mother alone. You know, girl stuff."

Her father was so beautifully trusting. He simply smiled, squeezed her arm, and wandered off to the back of the house and his beloved workshop.

Her mother led her into the sitting room and they took their usual spots.

"All right, Nymphadora. Your father's right, of course. You know we're here for you. Now tell me what's really going on."

Tonks sighed. "What I said was true, except for the girl stuff. I need information from you, Mother. It's about Rodolphus."

Her mother's smile froze. 

"What have you gotten yourself into?" she hissed.

"Listen to me, mother. Caleb, that's the boy. He is wonderful. Selfless, brave, willing to sacrifice himself for anything, even as a kid. When he was eight he saved his sister from an attack that killed their mother, an American Auror. The Curse badly hurt him, and it's slowly worsened his whole life. He's down to his last few months. We have to know what the Curse was, and so we're running down every possibility."

Her mother shook her head violently.

"You think Rodolphus had something to do with that attack? Stay away from anything having to do with them. Stay away, Dora! You have no idea how dangerous they are, even now."

"I have every intention of staying far away, Mother," she said. "I think I do have an idea of how dangerous they are. I really just need information. First, I was the one who guessed Rodolphus might have been involved. We don't know for sure. There was reference at the trial to a Lord Helotage Spurns, and I happened to think about those word games we played as a kid. Anagrams. Do you think your sister might have suggested it to him?"

Her mother was shaking slightly. It was the kind of thing Tonks didn't think she would have noticed in the past, and it nearly broke her heart. 

"Please, mother. You know I never would ask about this if it wasn't important. Just knowing for sure he was involved gives us a better chance to dig up the right treatment."

"Yes," her mother said in a small voice. "Yes, it's quite possible. Bellatrix was the one who taught those games to us after all. I don't know where she picked it all up. And the name, the whole thing fits Rodolphus perfectly. Not nearly as clever as he thinks he is."

"OK," said Tonks. "That's a big help. And one other question: do you know any reason he might have gone to America?"

Her mother frowned. "He had sister, Kadressa. She married an American and moved over there. Virginia, I think it was. I never met the husband, but Rodolphus seemed on reasonable terms with Kadressa. As much as he was with anyone really. What a detestable man. And yet I had no idea what he was capable of, unlike …"

Tonks tried not to look too excited. Virginia was where the two other explosive attacks had been. Her mother clearly did not want to say any more, but she needed to ask.

"Mother," she said. "Was Rodolphus really capable of a massive attack from a distance? We're pretty sure your sister wasn't involved. This was an ambush that vaporized a house completely, from a good distance away. Even during the war –"

Her mother had gone very quiet.

"Please, Dora. Please don't dig into this."

"I'm sorry, mother. I told you. I'm just trying to find out what the Curse was. I'm not going anywhere near the kind of people who could do something like that."

Her mother sighed bleakly.

"I'm so sorry, Nymphadora. I don't think I can give you anything to help Caleb. No, as far as I know Rodolphus did not have that kind of power. But he did like excessively violent magic along those lines. You know, there's a trick that Bellatrix learned at one point. She showed it off to me even before she married Rodolphus. Certain very powerfully cursed magical items can be used to magnify one's magic, even while the item's own magic is unaffected. It is a very difficult, lengthy ritual, but that wouldn't be such a problem in an ambush."

"Would there be a residue of the spell left on the item? If we could find it."

Her mother shook her head. "I honestly don't know. I didn't want to know how the ritual worked, even if my sister had been willing to tell me. And Nymphadora, there are countless old items adrift in the world that could have been used. And all this is only one possibility."

Tonks leaned over and took her mother's hand. It was cold to the touch. Her mother looked at her with surprise, but didn't pull away.

"It must have cost a lot for you to tell me all that," Tonks said. "I know the worry you carry with you all the time. I love you, Mother, and I wish I could carry some of the burden with you."

A tear formed in her mother's eye. 

"Thank you for protecting your father," she said softly. "It's not a burden for me. I'm your mother. I love you too, and despite all I said, I do hope you can do something for this poor boy. Nymphadora, I can't stand to see our mistakes ruining another generation."

"They won't," said Tonks. "We won't let them, will we?"

Her mother squeezed her hand and wiped her tears. "Let's go retrieve you father and see about having some lunch. And perhaps you can tell us about this boy. Ted was certainly pleased to hear it. I'd mostly given up hope, you know. I figured, with that hair, you'd probably bring home a girl and then I'd know for sure we were never going to have grandchildren."

"Mother!"

"I'm just teasing you, Nymphadora. But really, you must tell us about Caleb."

* * *

Tonks rubbed her eyes as she stumbled back into her room late in the evening. Time with her family always left her exhausted like this, and of course they'd made her stay for dinner as well, clucking over her as she ate an embarrassing amount of food. If only her mother knew how much more she usually ate these days.

"Hey Tonks, nice to see you," said Tomoko. "Everything go OK?"

"Yeah," she said. "My parents are exhausting, but I'm glad I went. Really glad."

"Good," said Tomoko. "So, you might want to find Ruella. She's been here three times looking for you already, claiming you had work to do. If I didn't know better I might think she likes you."

Tonks stuck out her tongue at Tomoko, and her roommate laughed kindly. "Like I said, I'm glad she's got you for company."

Ruella was in her room along with both roommates. She jumped up with her bag when she saw Tonks. 

"Finally," she said. "Let's go do some work in the common room."

They set up out of the way, and Tonks ran down the new information.

"That's fantastic," said Ruella. "Well, good anyway. Oh, damn. So all we have to do is search for one of a zillion magical artifacts that Rodolphus might have used, and then hope it has some imprint of the spell on it?"

"Yeah," said Tonks. "Maybe we'd be better digging through all the testimony about the spells Rodolphus was known to have used. Maybe there's a common thread there. How'd it go with Dumbledore's notes?"

"It was a slog," said Ruella. "I'm not anywhere near through either. I'd be glad of your help if only to decipher his horrible handwriting. I saw a few things that jogged my memory a little, so we can focus on all that first."

"All right," said Tonks. "Let's see what we can do, then. I'm good at skimming, so I'll start borrowing Dumbledore's personal book collection and see how much I can cram in. Maybe something will shake loose. And we can see what Dumbledore makes of what my mother said."


	16. Chapter 16

* * * Chapter 16 * * *

"Well," said Dumbledore. "I think the Rodolphus theory is on reasonably solid ground now. As for the ritual your mother describes, I have heard of it. There are several alternatives, however. Ruella, you believe based on neighbors' testimony there were as many as three or four wizards in total. They may have combined their powers. There is an unfortunate bounty of creative uses of dark magic that Voldemort discovered and shared with his acolytes, and we understand only some of them. I believe our most efficient path is to focus on what we know of Rodolphus's methods. I will ask my associates to quietly gather some information as well."

Ruella smiled. "That was our thought, too."

Dumbledore looked at them sternly. "Tonks, do not attempt to help on this particular task outside Hogwarts. Your mother was absolutely right about the dangers. You two have already shown your deductive skills, and I strongly encourage you to continue checking my work to see if I have missed something."

They were in high spirits as they headed for dinner. 

"I think we're getting somewhere," said Ruella. "And we're making a difference. We're a really good team, you and me."

"Yeah," said Tonks. "And Dumbledore's a little help too." They both giggled.

To their surprise, Caleb was waiting for them at dinner.

"Hi," said Tonks cautiously, and he waved them to sit down.

"I miss you," he said simply. "I miss this. Sitting together, having dinner."

"Me too, you silly," said Ruella. She was trying not to cry.

Tonks was hungry, of course, so she immediately piled up her plate. Caleb smiled shyly at her, and she smiled back.

No one really knew what to say, so aside from some inconsequential exchanges they mostly ate quietly. But that wasn't so terribly different from some of their meals before. There was something powerfully reassuring in just sitting together.

At the end of the meal Caleb got up awkwardly. 

"Thanks. I needed that more than I'd realized," he said. "See you around, OK?"

He slipped off and disappeared in his maddeningly easy fashion.

"That was –"

"Unexpected," said Tonks.

"Really nice," said Ruella, and Tonks nodded.

* * *

He joined them for many meals, often enough that it was almost normal. They didn't talk about their enormous side project, and he didn't talk about his. Tonks hadn't let herself think lately about how much she'd missed him. 

He was slower, moving with a precision that Tonks immediately understood to be masking his discomfort. Caleb finally was looking sick, and she couldn't help but feel desperate for him. The topic hung there between them, obvious and unmentioned. It was still a world better than the time of complete avoidance.

Finally one evening he brought it up.

"I can't play any more," he said. "Not really. The team's happy to have me keep practicing with them, but I convinced Kat to replace me with Aaron. He's the best of our third-year recruits."

He sighed and looked at his food.

"You can see it's gotten a lot worse. Pomfrey says they'll likely have to do a surgery within a month, to clear out the lung. I'm going to have to tell Dad."

He looked at Ruella, and she nodded. "I'll help him, Caleb. We should go home for at least part of break together, and we can explain then. We'll be OK. You've done more than your share – just focus on yourself."

Caleb nodded and briefly took his sister's hand before leaving in his usual abrupt fashion.

It was just three days until the spring break. Tonks planned to make another visit to her parents', this time purely social. She hoped not to lose more than a day, however.

"You should spend the whole week there," said Tonks. "Certainly as much as Caleb allows himself. This is important, just as important as what we're doing."

"Yeah," said Ruella. "I know."

Tonks was in Transfigurations on Friday morning, not really paying attention as she Conjured a carefully mis-tuned violin, when McGonagall tapped her on the shoulder.

The violin disappeared in a puff and she immediately felt guilty, sure McGonagall was going to chide her for slacking. But McGonagall's face was carefully blank.

"Can I see you outside for a minute?" she asked.

When they'd closed the door, McGonagall let out her breath.

"Tonks, Caleb collapsed early this morning. There is a specialist already preparing to do an operation, but this is a difficult procedure. You are excused from my class, and I will speak to your other professors."

"Th..thank you, Professor," Tonks said. She fought tears as she turned and ran for the infirmary.

The hospital side had an Emergency door, and she burst right through it. She was dimly aware of a rather large number of people.

"Tonks! Wait, we can't go in." Ruella said, grabbing her arm.

Tonks tried to catch her breath. She really needed to exercise more. She saw a handful of the Quidditch team members, some of them now looking at her with sympathy. There were also adults she didn't know, perhaps other medical experts called in quickly. Caleb was somewhere behind the set of opaque doors she'd been dashing towards like an idiot. Everyone knew not to interrupt that kind of delicate magic.

Ruella had drifted back to the side. There was a thin man sitting curled against the wall, head in his hands: their father.

Tonks slowly walked up to the two of them, not sure what help she could be.

"Dad, this is Tonks. One of Caleb's closest friends. Mine too."

Her father shook his head slightly and mumbled something unintelligible.

Tonks looked at Ruella, and she saw the raw pain in the younger witch's eyes.

"It's the surgery they were planning," said Ruella. "But it's not a good sign they had to do it early. It's going to take a few hours to finish, and maybe longer to know for sure."

Her father rasped something, then cleared his throat, turning his red eyes to Ruella.

"Why? Why didn't you tell me? You knew, even Tonks knew?"

Ruella started to cry. "You know Caleb. He didn't want to let anyone know," she said. "But we were going to tell you this weekend."

"I'm so sorry, Mr. Wentworth," said Tonks. "Caleb is so stubborn. And I couldn't be more happy to know him. He's strong, and I know –"

"Tonks," he said, struggling to keep his voice even. "I'm sorry to meet you like this. I knew this day was coming, and now I need you to leave me with my goddamn grief. You too, Ruella. I wish you hadn't seen me like this. I wish –"

He put his head down again, waving them away. They retreated, and Tonks held Ruella as she tried not to cry too loudly.

There was nothing to do but think, so Tonks thought. She thought about Rodolphus, about all the possible clues that had gone nowhere. She thought about a flattened house in rural Maryland, and a clearing over a quarter mile away with a few odd marks left on it. She thought about an Auror who didn't add up. She turned it around and around, and she planned.

Other students showed up, and a few had to leave. She found herself hugging Kat at some point.

"It will be all right," she told the big, beautiful Quidditch star. She nestled her head comfortably on that lovely bosom. "It's going to be all right."

Kat gave her a strange look and squeezed her even tighter before moving on.

"Tonks?" Ruella was shaking her shoulder. Tonks focused her eyes and nodded.

"They're finishing up," Ruella said. "Pomfrey's going to give us word in a minute."

The doors opened and Pomfrey emerged, along with an unpleasant waft of blood and dangerous magic. 

Pomfrey looked with disdain at the crowd. "Family only," she barked, herding off the dozen or so remaining students and visitors. Tonks loitered near Ruella, and Pomfrey sighed when she saw her. 

"You're all right, Tonks," she said when the others had left. "Before the surgery, Caleb said you could be informed."

Pomfrey walked with them to where Ruella's father stared off at nothing. She squatted in front of him.

"Alex," she said softly. "The surgery was as successful as could be hoped. Your son will be asleep for at least another day, and it will be a week or so before we know for certain how far we've pushed things back. But as you know, the prognosis –"

"He's dying," Alex croaked. "When can I see my son?"

Pomfrey glanced briefly at Ruella, then back at Alex. "In a few hours, when the magic is fully set. Until then –"

Alex lurched to his feet and stumbled out of the infirmary. Ruella moved to follow him, but Pomfrey spoke up.

"It's all right, Ruella. I'll see that he doesn't come to any harm. I think he needs some distance now, as hard as that is for you. Now, is there anything you would like to ask?"

"What is the best case?" she asked.

Pomfrey sighed. "The best case is a few more months. Perhaps long enough for Snape to make a brilliant breakthrough, or some other miracle. Truly, Ruella, these are the fantasies we all have, even me. And now let me be realistic and say a month is more likely, and that holding out hope for miracles creates more pain in the long run. We are all dying, Ruella, just some of us a little faster than others. Help him treasure what time he has left."

Ruella began crying, and Tonks held her again. Pomfrey patted them on the shoulders.

"You are not alone," she said. "Please don't turn down a compassionate ear. Even if that is Counselor Zerbona's job, she comes by it naturally."

Tonks nodded and directed her friend out the doors. A small crowd was still waiting outside, but they gave the two of them a respectful space, and no one followed them.

"Hang on a sec, Ru," she said, and she walked back to share the news with a very nervous Kat before returning.

Rather than go back to Hufflepuff, she steered them down a familiar side corridor. Ruella brightened slightly when she saw where they were going.

Once inside the washroom, she quickly recreated the forest glen. She was pleased to see that the roof barely needed a touch-up. The whole job felt a bit messier than last time, but she had a lot on her mind.

"How are you managing?" she asked as they flopped on the couch.

"About what you'd expect," said Ruella. "I feel like absolute shit."

"Yeah," said Tonks. They sat together for a time.

"I'm going to America," said Tonks.

"What?" Ruella blinked, mind trying to switch gears. "You mean …?"

"I have to," she said. "We're out of time, Ru. It's the last option. I'm going to the site, and if that doesn't help I'm going to get the information out of the Auror."

Something in her voice scared Ruella.

"No, Tonks, whatever you're thinking, don't do it. That's not you, Tonks. And it won't work, either. People don't tell the truth when you hurt them –"

"Oh, Ruella, I could never do that. It makes me sick to even think of that shit my aunt did. No, I have another plan, and no, I'm not going to tell you about it. I'm sorry, but that's final. Your place is here right now, taking care of your family. I just needed you to know where I would be, and that I'll be doing everything possible. I'll be taking every precaution for myself, so don't you go worrying on my behalf either."

Slowly Ruella nodded. "We have to try. Oh, Tonks, I wish I could go with you."

"No. Even aside from what Dumbledore said, this is a task that will be easier for me alone. And remember what Pomfrey said. Your family is here, Ru."

Ruella grabbed her in a tight hug. 

"Be careful. I couldn't bear if something happened to you too. When are you going?"

"First thing tomorrow. Same as last week, I guess. I'll put together all my things tonight."

"Make sure to bring enough food," said Ruella.

Tonks smiled. "Believe me, I've thought about that."

* * *

The hospital wing was eerily silent when Tonks arrived. It was past visiting time, but Pomfrey's assistant waved her in. "Don't stay long," he said. "It seems to be near curfew anyway."

Caleb was asleep as expected. With a sheet covering any evidence of the surgery, he looked nearly peaceful.

"Hello, Tonks." 

She started at the voice. His father was sitting quietly on the other side of the room.

"I have to apologize for my rudeness earlier," he said. "I was pretty upset, but that's no excuse."

"I understand," said Tonks. "It's all right."

Tonks figured she should leave Alex with his son, but as she turned he spoke again.

"I'm a lousy wizard," he said. "But Mary was a burning jewel. I may have difficulty with the simplest magic, but I've always been able to see it in others. When we first met I nearly cried at the way magic sang in her."

Tonks shifted uncomfortably.

"Ruella told me a lot about you this evening," he said. "She told me Caleb loved you, and that you were the most powerful, skilled witch she had ever met. And now that I look at you, I understand. You have it wrapped up inside you, but you burn as fiercely as a star. You remind me of Mary, and I understand how Caleb could finally find someone to be close to: Caleb, with his own unique magic he thinks he hides from everyone."

Alex was starting to cry, and Tonks desperately wanted to leave. But he wasn't finished.

"She said you were going to try to save him with some kind of desperate quest. I should tell you not to go, but I'm too weak, and I'd do anything to save Caleb. It's beyond my feeble skills, but perhaps you can succeed, and in any case I suspect you're too much like Mary to be dissuaded. So I will just thank you. You've given Ruella and me a slender strain of hope, and whatever happens I will not forget it."

"I'll do whatever I can," said Tonks, feeling suddenly inadequate. She escaped from the room before she started to cry as well.

In the hall she ran into Ruella carrying a sleeping bag.

"Pomfrey said I could sleep over with Dad," she explained. "I want to be there when he wakes up."

"I'm glad," said Tonks. "Tell him …"

"Caleb will understand," said Ruella. "And he already knows how you feel. Just get back safe, OK?"

Tonks nodded and the two of them shared a parting hug.


	17. Chapter 17

* * * Chapter 17 * * *

The scene in Hogsmeade was identical to last week. Same snow, same smoke. It was like a toy landscape, some wizard's fantasy of an alpine village. She hurried across town with her pack.

The jump to London was further than she was willing to make in a single hop, but she'd already mapped this out easily enough. Three Apparatings later she was at the arrival platform for the London Portkey station. Her family had used it for their trip to France last summer, but this would be much further than she'd ever taken the network.

She wasn't entirely sure of the cost, but amongst the carefully constructed space foldings in her pack, she had all of her loose currency. If that wasn't enough, she could draw on her modest personal account as well.

To her surprise, after a few moments the ticket office informed her there was no charge. This must be part of what Dumbledore had meant about easing her travel, though she hardly thought he would approve of this trip.

The station was still pretty quiet at this hour. She walked to the designated Iceland Portkey, and prepared herself. She'd never minded the odd sensations of Apparating, but Portkeys made her mildly nauseous.

With a deep breath, she reached to hold the Portkey, and just as she touched it she felt someone grab her arm.

The world stretched, light bending and air rushing past her ears, and then she stumbled onto the arriving platform in Iceland. Beside her, Ruella sprawled onto the ground.

"What?" Tonks spluttered. "No, Ruella, you can't! Go home, please, before anyone finds out."

"Too late," she said. "My Dad knows anyway, from the note I left him. And I suspect they'll nab me soon after I return for underage Apparating."

Tonks shook her head as they cleared away from the Portkey. "That was very dangerous, Ruella. They have licensing and exams and everything for a reason. And I can't take you with me. I told you this was my task."

"I can Apparate just fine," said Ruella. "I was careful. I even took two hops on the way."

"I took three," said Tonks with a frown. "Were you waiting for me at the station, then? How did you sneak up on me like that anyway?"

Ruella puffed up in pride. "I knew you'd travel from here," she said. "So I left hours ago. I bought the first ticket leg, so at least they can't get me for that. Then I just hid. You're easy to sneak up on."

"No I'm not," Tonks said. "Unless you're Caleb, which last time I checked –"

"OK," said Ruella with a grin. "I should have said *everyone* is easy to sneak up on, compared to Caleb. I know you pride yourself on those privacy spells you weave, but they're so unsubtle. I spent years trying to sneak up on Caleb, never with much success. But I have a lot more experience than you do."

"Let's get back to the point. You don't have permission to be here. You're already breaking Hogwarts official rules, and the conditions Dumbledore laid out –"

"Tonks, surely you don't believe Dumbledore would be fine with you doing this either. And you have a better chance with my help. I'm the one who really knows the site of the crime. I'm the one who already met Fordham. And I just showed you a skill I'm better at, one that might turn out to be vital. Tell me honestly if you don't think we have a better chance together." 

Tonks shook her head, but she couldn't lie. And a part of her was relieved to have company.

"I suppose I can't argue you out of it anyway," said Tonks. "But now that you're here, you have to follow my instructions. This trip is really dangerous, Ruella, more dangerous than I wanted to admit to you. I can't be worrying about you at the same time as I'm trying to plan the next move."

"OK," said Ruella easily. "I trust you, Tonks. Just don't think about ditching me, because I'll follow you anyway."

The Iceland station was small, so they had over an hour's wait to the next available Portkey. Tonks purchased Ruella a full fare ending at the city of Washington, the closest station to their destination. They waited on a bench as steady stream of travelers arrived and departed from the Portkeys.

"So you've had this phenomenal stealth skill all this time?" Tonks asked.

"Yeah," said Ruella. "What, you're the only one allowed to have Secret Powers?" Tonks winced as she considered what she still hid from Ruella.

"Anyway, it's the kind of thing that's natural to keep hidden," said Ruella. She blushed and leaned close to Tonks. "I'll admit I've used it a few times to sneak into the boys' dorm. You know, just to see what it was like. It was, uh, educational."

Tonks started to laugh loudly, and Ruella turned red. She hastened to clarify.

"Sorry, Ru, I'm laughing because I know with certainty that is exactly what I would do with those abilities. I assume you hung out in their showers. Just for educational purposes, of course."

"Yeah, I might have done that," said Ruella, beginning to smile again. "Maybe if you're really nice, I'll tell you sometime."

Tonks wanted to admit about the secret space. But it wasn't just her secret. On the other hand, she had her own stories.

"I might have my own tales to share," Tonks said. "If it comes to that."

The wait was easier with company. When it came time, Tonks was almost relaxed.

"Well, let's do it proper this time," she said, and the two held hands as they approached the pedestal.

* * *

"I never want to do that again," said Tonks as she staggered from the Washington station. 

"Me neither," said Ruella, though she seemed less bothered by the long string of travel than Tonks. "Let's just go to the beach and never go home."

"Is it really that warm at the ocean?" Tonks asked. They stumbled onto a street teeming with Muggles. It didn't seem much warmer than London to Tonks.

"No, I was just kidding," said Ruella. "The beach is nice in the summer, though."

They were getting some strange looks. Tonks had read that people in Washington were very stylish, so she'd dressed in her nicest clothes. Ruella had at least done the minimum to blend in with Muggles as well. Maybe it was her hair. She didn't see too many people with a shade half as striking as hers.

"Now, we take the Metro," Tonks said. "It's like the Underground."

"I never rode either of them," said Ruella.

"It's fine. Dad insisted I learn about Muggle transportation," said Tonks. "Just pretend you're my starry-eyed little sister. Maybe a little stupid." 

Ruella punched her.

"Oh, and Ruella: you really shouldn't use any magic now that we're out of Hogwarts. But they'll be detecting my magic anyway from your Trace, so I'll have to take responsibility for anything you cast when we're together. Remember that and be very cautious."

Tonks nervously approached the Muggle machine. She had a plastic card for emergencies, and Dad had showed her how to use it to make these machines spit out money. Luckily, the instructions were easy enough, and soon she had a nice wad of bills. She had the suspicion this might be more than Muggles usually carried around, so she tucked most of it safely inside her pack.

"I think some people are looking at us," said Ruella.

"Let's just get our tickets," said Tonks.

She watched the others using the ticket machine. Try as she might she couldn't make sense of the fare chart, so when it was their turn she simply stuffed bills into the machine until the glowing number was several times larger than anything on the chart. 

"OK," Tonks said. "Now just copy what I do." 

Soon they were sitting on a comfortable but surprisingly noisy train car. Theirs was the last stop, and after a while the train went aboveground. Tonks delighted in the scenery rushing by.

People were still giving her glances. She caught an admiring look from a boy with many piercings and green hair nearly as bright as hers. She gave him a smile and he immediately scowled and looked the other way. She supposed boys were the same, wizard or not.

The end of the line was in a quiet, forested suburb. They walked out of the station and sat on a bench.

"All right," said Tonks. "Now's where I ask if you have your own broomstick hidden in your bag."

Ruella made a face. "I barely had any time to pack. Just a few changes of clothes and some snacks. And Caleb is the only one with a broom. He lets me use it sometimes, but I wasn't about to steal it."

"So, basically, your plan was to mooch off of me for the trip," said Tonks.

"Pretty much!" Ruella said brightly.

"At least you don't eat much," said Tonks. "Compared to me. Let's find somewhere quiet to get some more lunch."

Tonks let Ruella cast her evasion spells, and she had to acknowledge her friend's skill. They wandered down the street and cut across to an unbroken stretch of woods. Maybe it was someone's personal forest, but under cloak of Ruella's spells she wasn't concerned.

From her pack she pulled out the item that had taken her the most time to enchant, though now it looked like a simple wooden box. She placed it on the ground, tapped her wand, and it rapidly expanded into a large wooden cupboard. She opened the top section and pulled out some snacks.

"This is amazing!" Ruella said, opening other compartments at random. "It looks like it might be enough even for you."

"Hopefully enough for both of us," said Tonks. "I raided the kitchen mercilessly. Oh, close that drawer. The cooling charm takes time to recharge and I don't want anything to go bad."

They sat on a pad Tonks pulled from another part of her pack, and had a surprisingly civilized late lunch.

"This is wonderful," said Ruella. "It's like the best vacation ever, except that I'm already feeling guilty for enjoying it."

"Sounds like every school break for me," said Tonks. "But you're right, this is different. Anyway, we're going to have to start being very careful when we get near the site. We'll fly to the general area, camp out, and then walk over in the morning."

They finished up their food, and Tonks put the dishes in the cleaning compartment. She was particularly proud of that one. She folded the cupboard again and put it in her pack, then extracted her broom. It was a utilitarian thing, not particularly fast to begin with. She'd never taken two on it.

"Well, let's give it a go," Tonks said. "Lucky we're both pretty small."

Ruella got behind her, and with a jarring lurch Tonks got them off the ground. Ruella grabbed her for balance, briefly holding onto a tit before she got her hands more appropriately situated.

"Ow," said Ruella.

"Yeah," said Tonks. "I think I bruised my crotch. I just realized this must really suck for guys when they're learning."

Ruella giggled. "I teased Caleb about that at some point. He just gave me one of those long-suffering brotherly looks."

"Well, chalk it up to another way girls have the advantage," said Tonks. "Let's see if we can clear the trees on this thing."

They could, but barely. The broom swayed side-to-side when she got it much faster than a running pace, so she contented herself with mentally cycling through the tests she'd need to perform at the site.

"This is really slow," said Ruella. "Couldn't we Apparate somewhere nearer? Or something else?"

"With just me it's not that slow," retorted Tonks. "And I don't think it's safe to Apparate right to the site. In any case neither of us knows the area well enough to risk it, since you were too young when you lived here. I thought about renting a Muggle vehicle, but the truth is I'd probably crash it, even after those lessons Dad gave me."

About two hours later they were over a large forested area when Tonks stopped abruptly.

"Do you feel that?" she asked. "Up ahead. Check for charms."

Ruella pulled out her wand and performed a basic detection spell. A hundred meters ahead, an indistinct patch of air glowed. Tonks carefully lowered them below the treetops, landing them on the soft needles. Both of them groaned and stretched when they dismounted.

"What was that?" asked Ruella.

"It detects brooms, or other methods of flying," Tonks said. "It extends farther than I can sense. I recognized it because my mother uses that charm to protect our house. Do you think your mom might have done something similar?"

Ruella nodded slowly. "Yeah. She warded the house heavily. In the Auror's report he mentions that as a reason the attackers kept such a distance. But surely we're even further than that? I don't recognize anything yet."

"We're about four miles away," Tonks said. "I was going to stop a little closer, but I guess this is it. Maybe your mother's spell was powerful enough to have lasted all this time, or maybe it was hijacked by someone else looking for magical intruders. Approaching on foot should keep us safe from this one, anyway. But we'll have to be even more cautious than I thought. I guess it's lucky we were so slow on the broom. I might not have noticed until too late, and who knows how that defense would have reacted."

They found a flat spot to set up camp, which mostly consisted of Tonks pulling a few things out of her pack and unfolding them.

The tent was a bit tricky, but in a few steps she had it popped open and staked down. She opened the door and they looked inside to where Tonks had left her sleeping bag.

"A bit cosy," said Ruella. "Maybe you could magic it up a little more?"

Tonks sighed. "It doesn't work that way. Haven't you learned about these space-folding spells? It's hard to make permanent objects. I'd have to start over, and there are materials we don't have here, and …"

"All right! I get it," said Ruella. "Will it be OK, then? I know you didn't plan to share."

Tonks smiled. "We'll manage. It's not much different from that tiny bed in the dorm, and we did all right, didn't we?"

Ruella smiled cautiously at the memory. "Yeah. Oh, I just realized. Did you put a bathroom in there?"

"Where? The tent? The pack? No, you silly. I didn't put a gymnasium in either."

"Oh," said Ruella. "So where …?"

"In the woods, of course," she said. "I've got plenty of toilet paper."

Ruella looked out at the trees uncomfortably. "Isn't it still kind of – I don't know. We never went camping. I'll probably pee on myself."

Tonks giggled. "Oh, Ruella, just take your trousers and underwear off then. There's no one here but me. If you're shy you can use your fancy sneaking spells. I'd love to see them in action anyway.

Ruella accepted a wad of tissue, and then stepped away. She raised her wand and began to cast her spells. 

Tonks blinked. What was she looking over there for? Oh, Ruella. She forced herself to scan her eyes systematically. Briefly she caught a jumbled glimpse of pale skin: Ruella undressing. She *wanted* to spy on Ruella, and she was failing. Finally she gave up.

A few minutes later she jumped at the tap on her shoulder. Ruella was there, and aside from shoes she was completely naked from the waist down. Tonks looked for a little longer than entirely necessary.

"So, here's to new skills: peeing in the woods. I guess that wasn't so terrible," said Ruella. She walked over to pick up her clothes. "What do you think of my spells?"

"You might as well be invisible. I was looking hard for you," said Tonks. 

Ruella grinned openly at her praise.

They ate an early dinner then sat and listened to the trees for a while. It was a beautiful forest, just the kind of place to make a Hufflepuff at home.

"I miss it," said Ruella. "I didn't realize how much I missed this. I guess you never forget where you spent your first years. Tonks, I don't know how easy it's going to be for me tomorrow. The first time I went back, I was so young and angry that I somehow bulled right through all the painful memories."

"Just take a break if you need to," said Tonks. "I think this is going to be a long day anyway, looking for clues, feeling for any trace of that old magic."

"The tent is looking comfortable," hinted Ruella, and Tonks smiled. They undressed a bit and then piled into the tent.

"Stop jostling," giggled Tonks. The sleeping bag really wasn't designed for two. Ruella turned one more time and got her arms around Tonks from the back.

"OK, that could work," said Tonks. Ruella hugged her tight, her breath warm on the back of Tonks' neck.

Tonks felt lips brush her neck, and then a series of small kisses. She shivered and pressed back against Ruella. A cool hand slipped under her shirt, tracing slow patterns on her stomach. The hand slid higher, higher, and then brushed over her breast. Finally the hand settled, cupping one breast, thumb gently massaging her nipple.

"Oh, Merlin, Ruella," Tonks said. "You sure this is OK?"

Ruella kissed the nape of her neck again. "Yeah. You obviously like it, and that's good enough. I wish it wasn't so complicated with me."

Tonks sighed. "You only think it's simple for me because I've hidden all my complicated shit," she said. "But let's not worry about it. You're right, I like this, and I'd love it if you kept doing it."

Ruella did just that. After a while Tonks slipped her own hand into her underwear, and she began rotating through her favorite selection of girl parts. 

It was a surprisingly powerful orgasm when she came. "Don't stop," she told Ruella as it subsided. Sure enough, after another minute or two she felt things winding up again. The second orgasm didn't shake her toes quite as much, but it was at least as satisfying.

"Wow," said Ruella. "That was incredible. Do you do that a lot?"

"Come more than once? Sometimes," she said. "It's never a bad thing, I'll say that."

Ruella sighed and held her.

"Anything I can do for you?" Tonks asked.

"No," said Ruella. "I'm happy right now. This moment is what I want to remember tomorrow."


	18. Chapter 18

* * * Chapter 18 * * *

Tonks woke up to Ruella carefully working herself out of the bag. "Call of nature," she said.

It was about time anyway. Tonks got up and wandered off to do her own business.

"You're a lot better at that than me," said Ruella as she finished.

"Ru!" Tonks pulled up her trousers, and then started to laugh.

"Hey, I was curious," said Ruella, trying and failing to look innocent. 

"You're a menace," said Tonks. "How many times have you done that to me before?"

Ruella shook her head. "None. Don't get the wrong idea, Tonks. I talk a good game, but I'm nervous as hell actually doing anything where I could get caught. The boys' dorm thing I bragged about, I only did once. I was sure Caleb was going to get back early from practice and then he'd have found me and … well, it's not so much getting in trouble. But he'd have been so disappointed. Anyway, eventually I wound up bumping into a very confused fourth year and then I ran."

Tonks smiled. "I don't think anything like that would matter to Caleb. You know how much he loves you," she said. "Anyway, I think it's pretty likely that he would understand completely."

Ruella nodded and then stared at Tonks. "Wait. Caleb is even better at sneaking than I am. I never thought about what that meant. Did he ever …"

Tonks laughed and stuck out her tongue. "If I knew, I wouldn't tell anyway. That kind of thing is privileged boyfriend-girlfriend information."

"Unlike the size of his dick?" Ruella said innocently, and Tonks flushed.

"Uh, I suppose you have a point," she said nervously. "But I wasn't that specific, was I?"

"Exactly enough to make me intensely curious," said Ruella. "Relax, Tonks, I'm teasing you. And it's not nice. You've been so non-judgmental, and such a good sport about it all."

Tonks took her hand and they made their way back to the camp.

They changed clothes outside, and then Tonks quickly folded everything up. It was time to go.

It was a long walk through the forest. Every once in a while Tonks cast another direction-finding spell and they corrected course slightly.

"All right," said Tonks. "The clearing is not far ahead. Be on your best lookout for unexpected traps, and let me do the casting."

She walked forward cautiously, stopping to listen, feel, and cast the gentlest detection spells she could. There was something tickling her, just beneath her senses. She cast one more spell, and drew in her breath.

"Don't move," Tonks said quietly. Carefully, barely using any energy at all, she traced the web through the air. It was incredibly subtle. She would never have found it if she weren't looking as carefully as she was. She cautiously made a portion faintly visible.

"See that?" she asked Ruella, who nodded.

"That's designed to sense any magic cast beyond this point. I think it's a tagging spell, something that will attach to you and allow the caster to find you. And I'm pretty sure it's been renewed within the last year."

"You didn't trigger it?" Ruella asked worriedly.

"No," said Tonks. "Now that I see how it works, if I'm very careful I can work around it. But keep your wand stowed."

Tonks shuddered as they passed through the invisible web. Some of her mother's wards were at least this finely woven, but her mother had spent great effort to craft them. Someone else had gone to similar effort here.

"You realize what this means," Ruella said excitedly. "This means there is something here to find. Something an investigating Auror might have found. Tonks, do you think he might have triggered it without realizing? Is this how they found him to threaten him?"

"It's possible," Ruella said. "I was looking extremely carefully for traps like this and it was still tricky. But there's another possibility: Fordham might have done this himself. He would have the training for it. Maybe he hoped to catch the criminals returning to the scene. Perhaps he even was covering up something, but it could have been just his own botched work. And unlike the unknown dark wizards, he's still in the area. We should keep our minds open, Ruella."

"You're right," said Ruella. "Oh! I see the clearing ahead. It's gotten overgrown since I was here."

The clearing was centered on the perfectly flat stump of a large tree, which had apparently been cut just before the attack. There were spells that could be fueled by organic matter, but it was a little excessive. Tonks suspected they'd just Vanished it after cutting it down. The stump made an obvious table for difficult spellwork.

The two of them examined the stump, but the surface had been worn smooth by years of rain and slow decay. Even the possible details Ruella had recorded years ago were gone.

"All right," said Tonks. "Time to do some magical testing." She pulled out the long list of rituals she'd intended to do to test for various Curse categories and candidates. Not all were ones she could modify to avoid the tracing spell. 

As the excruciatingly slow work progressed, Ruella stalked around her, looking grumpy and bored.

"I'm sorry, Ru," she said. "I would ask your help if I could, but –"

"I know," she said. "This is beyond me. I hate to think how much more work it will take me to get near your skill at this kind of magic. I came along so I could help, Tonks, and I'm just feeling pointless. I guess it's lucky I was so careful to avoid underage magic last time. Boy, were Dad and Caleb pissed off when I finally came home. As though hitchhiking was any real danger for me."

"Well, think of this as a lesson in patience then," Tonks said. Ruella rewarded that with some good-natured swearing.

Finally they retreated outside the detection spell to set up for lunch.

"Nothing," said Tonks dejectedly. "Well, not nothing. I ruled out a few things that should have left signatures even many years later. A lot more were long shots to begin with. I've got plenty more to try after lunch, but I have a bad feeling that if there's a residue, it's the kind of thing that can only be found with the more powerful spells that I can't risk casting."

"You're sure it's just a tracking spell?" Ruella asked. "The two of us are a pretty formidable pair. Maybe it would be just as well –"

"What? You think we should just put a target on ourselves? Ruella, think about it. You were the one who was hoping this was the dark wizards themselves. Whoever it is is very competent. Your mother was incredibly formidable, but if it's the dark wizards, they can approach us carefully and ambush us just like her. If it's the Auror, we lose all chance for surprise. If it's someone else, we'll be totally blindsided by whatever it is they're on about. We –"

She broke off, realizing Ruella was starting to cry.

"I'm sorry," Tonks said. "I'm so sorry about your mother. About Caleb. Everything."

"I want to kill them," Ruella whispered. "I'm starting to feel what I felt when I was here last time. I want to turn myself into a weapon and vaporize them the way they did Mom. I thought I was better than that now. I thought I could be like you."

"You don't need to be like me," Tonks said, pulling her into a hug. "Just keep listening to the part of you that loves Caleb. That will always be stronger than the other parts."

"Tonks," Ruella said. "What if he dies? What will I become then?"

"You'll be the wonderful, difficult witch he always knew you could be," Tonks said. "And he's not going to die. We're going to fix this, Ru."

But they were no closer to fixing it after five more hours of increasingly exhausting work. Tonks sat on the stump with her head in her hands.

"We should call it a day," said Ruella. "Maybe we'll think of something else overnight. If not, we can go on to the house. Anyway, that's where the obvious markings were left. I'm sure we'll have better luck."

They headed back and set up the camp for dinner. The novelty had worn off, and even the bug-repelling charm wasn't working as well this evening. 

"You didn't bring a shower?" Ruella asked.

"I should have thought of a way," said Tonks. "I do have some soap, and I guess I could Summon some extra water from – somewhere. Or Conjure it. But I'm nervous about that kind of big magic this close to the detection spell. Well, we could at least Scourgify."

"Ugh," said Ruella. "I hate that spell in big doses. And it doesn't really fix the smell."

"You smell OK to me," said Tonks. 

"Thanks, and you smell fine to me. But *I* can smell me."

In the end they made do with some soap and washcloths. It wasn't that bad, really. And Tonks got to keep getting looks at Ruella.

They dressed for bed and piled into the tent again.

"Your hands are freezing," Ruella said.

"Yeah," Tonks admitted. "I guess we just have to warm each other up."

Ruella sighed. "Sorry, Tonks. I'm probably giving you crazy signals. I – oh, Tonks. You know, when we were much younger, I sometimes slipped into bed with Caleb, and he held me like this so I knew I was safe. The truth is I've never done that with anyone else until you. It keeps making me think of him."

They lay together and began to drift off. Finally Ruella was asleep. Tonks managed to extricate herself without entirely waking her.

Try as she might, Tonks couldn't come up with a better plan for the Auror than her first one, and she was growing more convinced she'd have to go through with it. Ruella's company had robbed her of time she'd expected to have for practice. She walked some distance into the woods and sat on a log. And then she steeled herself for it.

She knew Bellatrix's appearances from all the papers, and even from childhood pictures Mother couldn't bear to throw out. It was easy to remember the differences from Mother. The wider eyes, the fuller lips, the darker and lusher hair. Even her figure was more perfectly proportioned. She had an almost sexual magnetism to her, though who knows how much of that was the simple power of her magic. Tonks somehow remembered all of this, even with only the one indirect contact as a child. Maybe it was years of horrible fantasy and nightmare that made things so clear. All she needed to do was reach, and *push*

The hair was easy. Anyone could have had that hair. The body was fuller, but then again her aunt had been in Azkaban all this time. It almost evened out. And yet Tonks felt subtle changes in places she shouldn't have known about, places that she wasn't particularly interested in as a child.

She gasped and retched slightly, shoving against her magic violently before calming and letting the changes melt away.

That shouldn't have happened. It had never happened before, and what could it mean that it happened with her aunt's body, with an almost sexual thrill? 

She fought against her terror. There was an explanation here. She knew nothing really about the way she changed her body. Maybe the fact she was so terrified and fixated on her aunt had provoked a different way of using her power. She didn't need those invisible changes, surely, and she doubted they even belonged to her aunt. Probably they belonged to the terrifying fantasy, in some odd part of her brain that filed fear and arousal near each other.

The face, then. She didn't need to change her body so much, did she? But that was the whole point of her plan. Aurors were trained to see through deceptions, including human Transfigurations. She needed her body to believe it was Bellatrix's, at least to a close approximation. 

She spent a few minutes trying to tinker with her face, but an understanding was unfolding within her. All this time she'd been thinking she needed to see someone's body to mimic it. But there were already clues to give the lie to that. She couldn't see nerves under the skin. She doubted she'd seen every little spot on the people she'd borrowed from. The inside of Manuela's ample thighs. All the fine details of all those beautiful vulvas. 

No, what she needed was to see enough to really believe she understood the body she was changing to. The magic did the rest, filling in the gaps in her imagination.

And part of her had always believed she already had Bellatrix inside her. As she followed that though to its conclusion she suddenly realized she couldn't go through with it. There had to be another way.

She slowly wandered back to the tent and slipped into the sleeping bag again. Ruella woke up a bit.

"Cold," she muttered, and pressed herself into Tonks.

"Yeah," whispered Tonks, trying not to crush herself against her friend.


	19. Chapter 19

* * * Chapter 19 * * *

"You OK?" Ruella asked again.

"Not really," said Tonks this time, truthfully. The two walked slowly towards the almost-buried foundation.

"Need to talk?" Ruella asked.

"Probably," said Tonks. "Not now."

She was sure they would find more traps there. But there was nothing. A few very faint generic wards, exactly the kind that would form the base of a layered set of house protections. The fact they remained even years after the house's destruction was evidence of how strong they'd been, and evidence of the horrible strength of the Curse.

Finally Tonks sighed. "I can't sense anything. No protections, except some leftover wards that are probably remnants from your mother. You should go ahead and feel free to use magic. If there's something too subtle for me to sense, I've probably tripped it already."

Ruella pulled out her wand and began probing cautiously. 

"Oh!" She said, and an odd expression came on her face. "Oh. Tonks, it's my mother. The ward spells are hers. I never realized I knew the feel of her magic."

She wiped a tear. "I suppose I was already more sensitive back then than I realized. Mother knew we both had magic even before we were born."

She abruptly sat down. Tonks gave her some space and walked slowly around the foundation. There were the patterned scars, just as Ruella had described. Recognizable from Caleb's very skin. She began probing them carefully with her wand. Eventually Ruella got up to help with the task.

"It's not anything I expected," said Ruella eventually. "I didn't expect joy."

"I'm glad you came," said Tonks.

"Me too," said Ruella. "I'll have to bring Caleb here. When he's better."

"You should bring your father too."

Tonks quit her spells for a while and simply walked and looked. But all she saw was an old, old crime, evidence washed away and overgrown with bushes and small trees. Ten years shouldn't be able to erase so much. But the world had moved on.

"Tonks," Ruella said. "This doesn't make sense. Why protect the other site, but not this one? It must have had to do with the attack. If it was the dark wizards, they must be confident there's nothing to learn here. If it was Fordham, then – I guess he isn't worried about people poking here either. Everything is telling me we're not going to find anything."

"Yeah," said Tonks. "But let's be thorough anyway. After lunch how about we walk the whole line from here to the origin. Maybe we'll find something others overlooked."

She picked up her wand and tried again. There were traces here, certainly. But it was the same unspecific energy she could sense within Caleb, merely the signature of powerful magic with all identification ripped away. The Curse eating up Caleb hid its origins too effectively, and the same seemed true here.

After lunch they did as she'd suggested. The curse had been extremely focused, wasting virtually none of its energy along the line to its target. There were one or two trees that might have been damaged in the attack, or perhaps it had been a thunderstorm. Everything was too faint. Perhaps a better wizard could have found something. An Auror looking immediately after the attack should have.

Ruella could tell there was something wrong with Tonks. She took her hand.

"Let's go back to the house. I mean, what's left of it. It's weirdly comforting for me."

"You had a wonderful childhood," Tonks said. "She gave you love, and kept you free from fear."

They soon reached the site of the house again and sat on a log together.

"It must have been terrifying to be where you were during the war," said Ruella.

Tonks didn't want to talk about this. "My parents loved me. And yes, they were terrified. They couldn't keep that from me. Look at who my mother's family was."

They sat there for a while.

"Tonks," said Ruella. "We're going to have to see the Auror, aren't we?"

"No," said Tonks. "I'm going to have to see him. He knows who you are, and there are any number of ways that could backfire on you this time around. And my plan requires me to be alone."

"What's your plan, then?" Ruella said with frustration.

Tonks just shook her head. "I'll need some time to prepare." Surely there was a way to salvage this idea.

"Fine," said Ruella. "If you're going to be that way, let's at least get you as prepared as possible. I feel like we can deduce some things from what we saw and didn't see. Fact: someone left a powerful protective spell around the origin site, but not around the house."

Tonks fell into their pattern. "Fact: there was a similarly powerful ward against flying, over a much larger area."

"Fact," said Ruella. "If that flying ward had been my mother's, I would have recognized it the way I did the old wards at the house."

"Fact: we found no markers specific to the Curse at the house, despite using our strongest detection skills. Fact: essentially every curse we could think of would have left similar markers at both ends, or *stronger* markers at the house end, where all the energy was dispersed."

They paused.

"Conjecture," said Ruella. "Even if we had used those same spells at the the origin site, we wouldn't have found anything. Yet the wards strongly imply continued interest in that site."

"Two theories," said Tonks. "First: as I guessed earlier. Fordham is paranoid about some aspect of his investigation that he botched, or got threatened about. Perhaps he even covered up or removed the evidence, but he's nervous about someone following up. Second, there was or is evidence still to be found there, but not evidence of the spell itself."

"A Cursed item," Ruella whispered. "What if your mother was right? Could it still be there?"

"That doesn't make sense," said Tonks. "Surely they and their associates had plenty of time to find an object. If the Auror was involved, he had even more time. So either they never found it, meaning we have no chance of managing that in a few days –"

"Or no one can remove it for some reason," said Ruella excitedly. "It got stuck and Cursed a tree or something!"

"Or maybe it was found, but not immediately, and someone was worried another wizard guessed some of the truth back then and will come around to snoop," said Tonks. "No, there are too many possibilities."

"But Zellick, the American they caught," said Ruella. "He had unexplained injuries, didn't he? They didn't look like Caleb's, though. People were guessing the spell backfired somehow, but what if the ritual your mother describes isn't quite so easy as she thought, or they screwed up? It fits, Tonks."

"So do a lot of other things," said Tonks. "Let's sleep on it, OK? And I'll think about my part of this. Tomorrow we should do another check of the origin site, or really the whole area covered by that ward."

The clearing didn't seem like an appropriate or entirely safe place to camp, so they retreated a half mile or so into the woods.

They continued talking through dinner, and even after they got in the tent together. But they were reasoning in circles.

"Are you sure we can't talk about your plan?" Ruella said. "I know I can help. Look at how well we work together."

"Thank you, Ruella," Tonks said. "But no." 

Why was she hiding this from Ruella? Was it shame, newfound terror, or plain old habit? 

Ruella pulled off her shoes and slid into the bag, beckoning to Tonks.

When they were both in, Ruella snuggled up against Tonks. Soon she felt the light kiss on her neck, and she knew what Ruella wanted to give her.

"I can't," she whispered to Ruella. "Sorry. Not tonight. Too much on my mind."

Deep in the night, she rose again. Ruella woke this time and sleepily asked if she was all right.

"Just have to hit the woods," she said. "You know me, this ridiculous metabolism, in, out. That story."

Ruella laughed sleepily and rolled over before lying still again.

She found a place to sit, and thought. She hadn't had any new ideas. She just needed to pull this off. Her discomfort was something she could get over, the way she had with other difficult body changes. She just needed to work up to it.

She changed her hair again, and then focused on the eyes. The lips, the cheekbones. She sneered slightly and found it was easier than she expected. She touched her face, feeling the odd contours. It seemed pretty good, but it felt like a mask. She was holding the rest of her body very carefully as it was. It almost didn't need her to *push*. Nearly a relaxation. She didn't want to think about what that meant. Carefully she let her neck change just so. An older woman, one who'd been in a terrible prison for a decade. She curled her sneer into one with more malice, and then Ruella screamed.

Shocked, she lost the careful control, and her face bulged unnervingly until she let go of her magic entirely.

"Ru! No, sweetie, it's me. Oh, Merlin, sorry. I wish you hadn't seen that." She quickly called on her Oculus spell to see in the darkness, and then called out again. Slowly Ruella appeared, wand half-raised.

"Tonks?" Ruella whispered.

"It's me," she said. "Only me. You caught me practicing my plan."

Shakily Ruella advanced. Finally she touched Tonks' face and shook her head.

"Of course," she said. "You're so brilliant at Transfiguring. Impersonating Bellatrix makes perfect sense. Oh, Merlin, that must be a hard thing for you to do. No wonder you didn't want me to see."

Tonks breathed a few times. She could leave it here. But Ruella deserved the truth.

"Ruella," she said. "This isn't ordinary Transfiguration. The truth is I'm kind of rubbish at normal human Transfiguration on myself. But first thing: it wouldn't work on an Auror. We train ourselves in disguise, and also seeing through them. Polyjuice, Transfiguration, illusions, all of that. It's maybe the most fundamental skill of being on Auror: clear seeing."

"So what is it then?" Ruella asked.

"I'm a Metamorphmagus," she said. Ruella shook her head in confusion.

"I have an inborn ability to Transfigure myself," she said. "It's extremely rare."

Ruella blinked, and then opened her mouth. "That's amazing, Tonks! I'm so sorry I snooped on you, but I was terribly worried about what awful thing you were trying to make yourself do. I think I understand why you didn't want to tell me. Tonks, you looked just like Bellatrix. Even your expression, just like the portraits."

"It's not enough," said Tonks. "I have to change all of me, not just my face. I'm not sure you know what that means. I'm not sure I know what that means."

"Oh," said Ruella. "Have you done something like this before?"

Tonks sighed. "Maybe. I thought so, a few times. Oh, Ru, this is so complicated."

"Well, let's talk it through, then," said Ruella. "We're a good team, Tonks. You don't need to protect me."

Tonks gave her a tired laugh. "I don't think it's you I'm protecting," she said. "Can we go back in the tent? I'm cold and depressed and all this is going to be hard enough for me to talk about."

They snuggled back into the sleeping bag, Ruella curled behind Tonks. In bits and pieces, Tonks began to explain about her ability and her recent discoveries. She left out Caleb but she admitted her own spying from within the showers.

"Oh," giggled Ruella. "You weren't kidding when you said you'd also use my sneaky skills to spy."

"The thing is," Tonks said nervously. "It's all mixed up with sex for me. All these body changes are much easier when I'm aroused. And it's a feedback, because it's really how I get off. Changing parts of my body, especially the more sensitive parts."

"Ah," said Ruella, absorbing it all. "And you need to see a person's – parts if you want to mimic them."

"I thought so," said Tonks. She lapsed into silence, brooding on her attempts with her aunt's body.

"So that's the problem with your aunt," said Ruella. "You can only copy bodies you've seen, but I'm going to guess you haven't seen Bellatrix naked. Ugh, that's a scary thought."

Tonks shook her head. "No, it's worse than that. I started changing my body to my aunt's approximate shape, and then it was as though I already *knew*. It wasn't too hard, Ru. It was too easy, as though she was just waiting there for me. I felt her breasts, Ruella, and they were *hers*, just like when I've gotten it right with girls I know. I think I've gotten it wrong all this time about how my magic works. I've been obsessed with the idea I've got Bellatrix inside me, and I guess I believe it enough for my magic to fill in the gaps. Because that's how it's always worked. If I borrow Kat's breasts, they respond like hers. I don't know anything about her nerves, so my magic is somehow making it work."

Ruella hugged her.

"You're making a lot of logical leaps in all this," she said. "Have you ever double-checked really? I mean, did you ever copy someone and then check if you got the parts right where you wouldn't have seen them?"

"Not really," said Tonks. "Though I have some evidence about that thing with the nerves."

"OK," said Ruella. "So maybe the first thing is to see if that's actually true. Maybe I'm not the best test case, but you can – I mean, it's OK if you want to try that with my body. Is there something on me you haven't seen?"

Tonks immediately thought of one example, but she wasn't going to suggest that to Ruella. And she'd only been able to fill that part of Kat after she'd actually put her fingers on it. In it.

"You sure you're OK with that?" asked Tonks. "It seems strange."

"It'll still be you," said Ruella. "I can get over the strange."

"Do you have anything hidden by hair? A mole or something?" asked Tonks. 

Ruella sighed. "Uh, yeah. And I guess I'm pretty sure you wouldn't have seen it. I need a mirror and a lot of effort for that. I volunteered, I suppose, so I'll just tell you it's somewhere around my private parts. Make sure you get all the hairy places."

Tonks took Ruella's hand. "Thank you. This was a good idea to test. I hope I get it wrong, and that it really is just my fevered imagination doing the details."

She *pushed*, and felt her pubic hair grow, a lush blanket spreading down between her legs. She probably needed to change everything down there to be sure, so she kept *pushing*. But she was nervous, and anything but horny.

"Ru," said Tonks. "I need to get my body into this. Don't worry, I'll borrow someone else's parts."

"You can use mine," said Ruella. "It's all right."

Tonks nervously began to masturbate, easing her clit into a few different configurations before settling on her usual pattern. After a while, Ruella began to rub her nipples through her shirt.

"That's nice, Ru," she said. "Is it OK if I change them up?"

"Sure," said Ruella. She made a little delighted squeak when Berella's pointed nipples popped under her fingers. Slowly they negotiated a rhythm.

"This is unreal," said Ruella. "I can't believe how jealous I am. I could actually try out bigger boobs, or a less stupid nose, or … Tonks, you're so lucky."

"Yeah," said Tonks. "Caleb said the same thing."

Ruella didn't say anything for a while. Tonks shouldn't have brought him up.

"Sorry," she finally said. "It's hard not to think about him. About the two of you."

Tonks was pretty wet now, and she certainly didn't mind thinking about Caleb. She took a breath and *pushed*, and she felt her butt shrink a bit, and everything rearranging. She tried to imagine all the inside parts changing too, but she seemed to have a block about that.

"OK," said Tonks. "I think I've got it. It feels right, anyway. I'm going to stop masturbating because it's hurting my head a little with you right here. So, where is the magic mole?"

"Probably better if I look myself," said Ruella. "So you don't accidentally put it in where I tell you. Uh, you're going to have to get out of the bag and pull down your bottoms."

Tonks wriggled out and did as Ruella asked. "This is like the weirdest exam ever," she said, and Ruella laughed.

"Tell me about it." Ruella called up a little light. "OK, I guess I have to touch you. Could you spread your legs some more?"

Tonks giggled, but then Ruella's hands touched her, spreading her legs, skimming her vulva. Ruella's vulva. Ruella did something with the hair down below, towards her anus.

"Well," said Ruella. "I don't know if you'll like this, but you got it. Exactly right. A lot easier to see on someone else. Frankly this is almost too weird for me to believe."

Tonks quickly let go of the changes and Ruella inhaled sharply.

"Ah, oh wow. I wasn't quite expecting that. I guess that's you again." She extinguished the light.

Tonks crawled back in the bag with Ruella.

"Tonks," Ruella said softly. "Thanks for trusting me."

"That was never the issue," mumbled Tonks. Ruella stroked her gently.

"I don't want to do this," said Tonks eventually. "I can't see any alternative."

"Let's talk about it tomorrow," said Ruella. "You need me to help you relax now?"

"No, this is enough. Ru, I'm so glad you came."

"Me too."


	20. Chapter 20

* * * Chapter 20 * * *

Tonks opened her eyes to the bright light of morning. She was starving, and Ruella was out of the tent. A lovely smell wafted into her nose, and she stuck her head out the door.

"I found the bacon," Ruella said. "And the little stove. Took me forever to find the right compartment."

Tonks stumbled out of the tent and joined Ruella for breakfast, round one.

A half hour later Ruella laughed as she finally proclaimed herself full.

"So it's your shape-shifting that makes you so hungry," she said.

"Yeah," said Tonks. "It takes a particularly large amount of energy to make more flesh than I have without the magic. Keeping up these boobs all the time has really raised my minimum even when I'm not doing crazy experiments."

"Wait," said Ruella. "Those aren't your real boobs?"

Tonks flushed. "Uh, well. It depends. I think of them as my real boobs, but they're not the ones I would have without magic."

Ruella thought about that for a while. "So it's like your hair, then."

Finally, though Tonks, someone who understood.

"Could you show me your – original boobs sometime?" Ruella asked shyly. "I know, maybe it's kind of petty, but it actually makes me feel better that you weren't born with that astonishing body."

"OK," said Tonks. She was feeling pretty kindly towards Ruella right now. Quickly she pulled her shirt over her head. She hadn't worn a bra last night, so her breasts popped right out. Ruella looked at her, and then looked away embarrassed.

"No, go ahead and look." She carefully let go of the magic, and her breasts shrank, nipples changing subtly, growing darker and smaller.

"I don't think I'd ever get tired of that," said Ruella. "And you have fantastic breasts either way." She watched as Tonks brought them back to their usual size. "But I guess those are more attention-grabbing."

Tonks laughed. "I did them that way for that first Quidditch party. I borrowed some underwear from Tomoko, and I needed them bigger to fit right. Tomoko nearly had a heart attack when she saw me in the underwear, but it was love at first sight for me."

"You did look amazing that night. Whose are they? Sorry, that's probably rude."

"I borrowed from Kat. Obviously they're only partway hers."

Ruella blinked and looked at her chest again.

"I know," said Tonks. "You're imagining those amazing tits on little old me. Believe me, I tried that. Maybe I'll show you sometime and we can giggle about it. But I'd need more food first." She went over to the clothes wardrobe and got dressed.

Their main task that morning was the re-surveying of the attack origin site. Slowly they spiraled out from the central stump. Tonks saw trees, and more trees. Nothing unusual and nothing that her careful detection spells could reveal. Finally they hit the edge of the warded zone.

"Well, that was disappointing," said Ruella.

"Yeah. What do you say we just head out of here? All the way back to where we can use the broom? It's making me a little itchy to know we can't escape quickly. Though I suppose I could Apparate to the train station in a real pinch."

It was a warm day, and a slow hike back. Tonks had to stop for snacks a couple times on the way, and she let Ruella take over their navigation.

"Up ahead! Almost there," said Ruella, and they hurried to the edge.

"Lunch. And then maybe a nap," groaned Tonks. "I really haven't been exercising enough for this."

After lunch Tonks felt a little better, and with a washcloth bath and change of clothes better still. She crawled into the sleeping bag and was out cold.

Sometime later a gentle nudge woke her.

"Sorry," said Ruella as she crawled in. "You looked so peaceful. I should have left you."

Tonks sleepily leaned over and kissed her on the lips.

"Oh," said Ruella in surprise. She patted Tonks on the head.

"Sorry," said Tonks, trying to blink away the sleep. "I'm all confused."

"Well, me too," said Ruella, clumsily kissing Tonks before snuggling against her. Their legs twined together and Ruella rested her head on Tonks' chest.

Ruella stroked her back.

"So," she said nervously. "I'm guessing Kat was one of the people where you tried on their whole body."

"Not quite," she said. "Kat's a lot bigger than me. All that extra weight is hard to do at once. Not that I wasn't willing, but –" she trailed off.

"But Caleb didn't want you to have to work so hard," finished Ruella softly.

Tonks stroked Ruella's hair. "Yeah. Don't get the wrong idea about him. It was pretty much always my idea."

"I'm sure he hated every minute of it," said Ruella. They both started to giggle.

One of Tonks' legs was trapped high between Ruella's thighs. The other girl kept adjusting a little. Gently Tonks pressed it higher, and Ruella gasped lightly.

"Sorry, Tonks. Was I being that obvious?"

"Well, only if you're the one whose leg is being humped. Not that I mind."

Ruella laughed loudly and kissed Tonks on the neck. "I can't believe how comfortable I am with you," she said. 

Tonks didn't reply. Gently she pressed her crotch into Ruella's leg. Maybe she could give Ruella what she wanted. She *pushed*, and her clit swelled a bit before returning to normal. Should she say something? They both wanted this, didn't they?

Ruella ground herself against Tonks a bit harder.

"Tonks," she said softly. "Did you ever try turning into a guy?"

Tonks stroked her back. "Not entirely," she said. "But parts, yeah. I haven't done much of it. I was only just starting to explore before everything turned upside down."

She waited, but Ruella didn't say any more. So Tonks took the plunge.

"You feel like playing with a dick, then?"

Ruella drew in her breath.

"Uh, sure. I you don't mind."

Tonks *pushed* and all the blood rushed into her clit, expanding and pushing against her underwear uncomfortably. But the discomfort faded quickly, replaced by a dull heaviness, and the strange sensation of this new appendage jutting out. It was still growing, pushing past her waistband.

"Oh!" Ruella twitched when it bumped into her stomach, and it was still growing. Finally it was right.

"That feels enormous," giggled Ruella. Tonks unzipped the sleeping bag and wriggled out clumsily. How did Caleb manage not to hurt this thing all the time? She pulled down her bottoms and let it spring free.

"Holy shit," said Ruella. "That's – holy shit. Tonks, that's bigger than any of the ones I've ever seen. I guess that's Caleb's then. "

"Yeah, I guess it does look pretty big on me," said Tonks. "It's the only one I know, though." She began to stroke it the way she'd learned the last time.

She smiled at the way Ruella stared.

"Wanna help?" she asked, reaching for Ruella's hand.

Dazed, Ruella moved her hand underneath Ruella's, encircling the base of the cock. Her fingers brushed through Tonks' pubic hair, and then a finger moved down further, briefly touching her opening.

"Aahh," groaned Tonks.

"Wait," said Ruella. "You still have your – oh, sorry Tonks, this is a lot to take in. How does it even work, then? It can't be connected up –"

"Don't ask me," said Tonks. "I can't ejaculate, if you're asking about that. I haven't tried to finish everything up because, well, this set of genitals feels pretty good, and frankly it's already a little difficult to trick my body into it. Do you like playing with it?"

"Yeah," said Ruella. She tried synchronizing her slow strokes with Tonks, and soon they had a pattern going.

"Tonks," Ruella said. "Are you pretty relaxed like this? Can we talk?"

"Well, I'm feeling pretty damn good, with a cute girl stroking my dick. I'm not about to come, so yeah, I guess I'm pretty relaxed."

Ruella sighed. "I can't stop thinking about him," she said. Gently she bent to kiss the tip of the cock and Tonks gasped. 

"I can put it away," said Tonks. "It must be weird ten ways –"

"Tonks," Ruella said gently. "You obviously know my secret, the one giant thing I've hidden from my brother, and from myself, really. I don't want to think about that right now, but I really don't want you to put it away. It's beside the point, because I wanted to talk about you, and about this plan of yours. The way we promised yesterday."

"OK," said Tonks, immediately feeling herself tense up.

"It's a good plan," said Ruella. "Better than anything I thought up anyway. But surely Fordham would know if Bellatrix had escaped?"

"Ah," said Tonks. "I'm going to pretend I'm a projection of Bellatrix from within Azkaban. So on top of my transformation I'm going to cast some other distracting spells. The Auror will see through them to something that looks like the real Bellatrix, and I'm counting on him to accept the other spells as a consequence of the projection, while flattering him into thinking he's traced the projection all the way back to Azkaban."

"That is devious," Ruella said, squeezing her dick. Tonks sighed, and then jerked as Ruella's other hand began to brush across her vulva. Ruella smiled in response and began to circle her opening with her fingertips.

"So, you got freaked out by trying to change into Bellatrix. Was it only what you said, that your body seemed to find it easier than you wanted?"

Tonks hated that Ruella was asking her about this now. It was all connected, wasn't it.

"Ru," she said. "If I really commit to borrowing a body, I'm borrowing most of their sensory response too. This is so much more intimate than an ordinary transformation, and until now I've only been able to do it with people I've had some intimacy with, even if it's one-sided spying. And I get aroused by the change, whatever it is. Can you imagine what that was like when I started changing into Bellatrix?"

"I see," said Ruella. "So it was like having sex with her."

"I hadn't thought of it in those terms," said Tonks, "but yeah. It's revolting, but the body is mine, and it's like everything about that horrible woman is just there waiting –"

"Let's leave that for a moment then," said Ruella. "You said you weren't sure yet if you'd fully tried on a body?"

"I think I'm holding back," said Tonks. "Or just didn't understand the body well enough from looking at a distance."

"Maybe you should build up to it, then," said Ruella. "Try it with a body you're not justifiably terrified of. I probably weigh even less than you, so it shouldn't be too hard."

"Ah," said Tonks. "That's sweet but, uh, I might need to touch you a little more first."

"I guess that's OK," said Ruella. "Since you have a dick and all."

After a pause Tonks burst out laughing, and Ruella kissed her on the cheek.

"We're doing all this for Caleb," said Ruella as she undressed. "But that doesn't mean we can't enjoy ourselves, right? Where we can."

"Yeah," said Tonks, dick rock hard in her hand. Gazing at her friend's lithe build, she could swear this bit of Caleb was even more excited than Tonks.

Ruella bore her stares with some discomfort and kept looking back at the dick. Gently Ruella ran her fingers over the tip, then traced a bit along the biggest vein. She dropped her other hand down to slide through her bushy lips.

"Could you change some more?" Ruella asked. "It might be easier for me."

Tonks could feel the heat emanating from her dick, and her body *wanted* this. She *pushed*, and soon felt a tightness behind her dick, and a much sharper aching need. Her thighs and ass began to strengthen, and she fed huge energy into them. Maybe she could cheat. Alexa had wonderfully powerful thighs and buttocks, but not so much as Caleb. She concentrated, wove them together, and for the hell of it she held onto Alexa's vagina. Caleb's coarse black hair covered it all.

She needed to pee, or it felt like it anyway. Tonks suddenly realized she'd rerouted more than she'd thought, because there was only one place for it to come out now. She was pretty sure her dick was fully functional now.

Ruella glanced up at Tonks and then quickly back down.

"Touch me," she said softly. "Whatever you need."

Her hands were smaller and her fingers more deft, but she knew what Ruella wanted. She burned even more energy and changed her hand and forearm. The warm sense of power washed over her like a small orgasm, the surprisingly sensitive callused fingertips, the sure strength. And Ruella cried softly when she joined Caleb's hand to help touch Ruella.

"Can I touch inside?" she asked, and Ruella nodded, never looking up from her dick. Caleb's fingers felt enormous, just as when he used them in her. One finger, and Ruella squeezed around her harder than she'd have thought possible.

"You OK?" she said, holding still.

"Oh, Merlin," said Ruella. "I can't – I don't know. I think I'm going to come, Tonks, or maybe pass out. Or both. Just keep going."

Slowly Tonks pushed further. Ruella was wet, but not dripping the way Tonks could get. She pressed gently against the front wall and Ruella squeezed even harder around her. The girl was cutting off her circulation, but now she was starting to squeeze in rhythm.

Tonks pushed her finger further in, and then Ruella grabbed her dick firmly and began to pump.

"Slower," she managed to say. Ruella's fine fingers felt astonishingly good. A expression of wonder opened on Ruella's face and she briefly, nervously met eyes with Tonks. Then she leaned forward and licked Tonks' nipple.

"Oh, Merlin," Tonks breathed. It was as though the nipple were directly connected to her balls. Ruella did it again, and again, and soon Tonks was breathing heavily. Ruella was wetter, though still very tight, and she pushed Caleb's long finger all the way in.

Ruella cried and pushed her hips hard against Tonks' finger as she furiously masturbated. Tonks felt something deep in her groin release, and she tried to fight it, not wanting to pee all over Ruella.

But it was unstoppable, and of course she had it wrong. She made a huge grunt and her dick spasmed hard, her ass and thighs contracting as though they could help power her ejaculation. 

The first blast sprayed hard against Ruella's chest and chin, causing her to pull off Ruella's nipple in surprise. Tonks couldn't get enough air into her. The next blast was just as strong, but they diminished rapidly.

Trying to catch her breath, Tonks realized Ruella was almost there. She focused on her finger, and suddenly Ruella squeaked in that cute way of hers, squeezing her finger tightly with her vaginal walls. Tonks stroked her hair and back through her much longer orgasm, feeling faintly jealous, though not enough to regret her first male-type orgasm.

Ruella looked up at her blearily. There was some cum in her hair.

"Tonks," she mumbled. "How'm I ever going to get that thing inside me?"

Tonks began to giggle, and Ruella nervously joined her after a while.

"I actually said that, didn't I?"

"Yeah," said Tonks. "Merlin, my dick liked that thought. And to answer your question: slowly."

"Tonks."

"Yeah?"

"I have cum all over me, don't I?"

"Pretty much."

"Is that your cum or Caleb's?"

"I have no fucking idea," said Tonks. She put a finger to a splash on Ruella's chin and tasted it, to a shocked gasp from Ruella.

"Eh, tastes like him," she said. "But what do I know. Maybe all guys taste the same."

"Tonks?"

"Yeah?"

"Maybe you better get rid of the dick. It's fucking with my mind to talk with you like this."

"Oh, OK," said Tonks. She let go of her magic and the dick quickly melted away, leaving Alexa's puffy lips and mostly-hidden clit. She got the hair right, and then she started in on pleasuring Alexa's pussy.

"Wait," said Ruella. "Uh, who?"

"Alexa, of course," said Tonks. "I'm kind of horny so if you don't mind –"

Ruella started to laugh. "What the hell kind of sex drive do you have? I mean, I guess I'm a little horny too, but after what we just did."

"I just figured I'd get it out of my system before I tried out your body," Tonks said. "It seemed rude."

Ruella's mouth formed an O. "I feel kind of weirdly OK with that," she said, and then she sighed. "Tonks, that was an amazing orgasm you gave me. It was like I was having sex with both you and – him. If you want to take my body for a test drive or ten, you more than earned it."

"OK then," said Tonks. She closed her eyes and thought about Ruella's body. Her friend's willingness to offer it despite her discomfort. Their trust was deeper than friendship, even if not precisely one of lovers.

She let her mind drift, and then she began to *push*. Her mind and body wanted this. Let it flow like water, finding the easiest path. Slowly, steadily she felt her flesh move. Her tits *shrinking*, and this time it was easy. She loved Ruella's little nubs. Narrower shoulders, longer legs. Things were changing inside her in unnerving ways, but she had to trust her magic. Ruella had a wonderful, healthy body, and she could reverse this any time she wanted.

The face was the last bit, and always one of the hardest. But this time it wasn't so terrible. Ruella was beautiful, with striking bushy eyebrows and that mass of curly hair on her head and elsewhere. She opened her intense brown eyes and looked into Ruella's identical pair.

Ruella was breathing hard. "That's – it's like a mirror. Except you're not even reversed, are you? You're perfect. A perfect copy, anyway. It's weird to look at myself this way."

Tonks looked down at her body. It looked exact, everything just as it should. She felt a deep hum of sexual excitement, and even that had a different flavor. Even her heart was beating more lightly and more quickly than she expected.

She twisted and felt an ache.

"Does your back hurt?" Tonks asked. Ruella's voice.

Ruella laughed. "Yeah, low down on the right? I strained it last week. Hardly notice it now but it's there. Merlin, does my voice really sound like that?"

The two of them laughed.

"Well then," said Tonks. "I guess it's a success. I don't really have to masturbate like this, Ru. I'm a big girl."

"Maybe you should," said Ruella. "Just, you know, to be sure."

"Uh huh," said Tonks, breaking into a smile. She slowly started to rub herself the way Ruella had been.

"Here, let me try," said Ruella, scooting behind her. She felt the girl's nipples on her back, her friend's warm and disorientingly familiar presence. And then Ruella slid her hand down Tonks' front and Tonks stopped noticing anything at all except her rapidly approaching orgasm.

When the stars cleared from her eyes, Tonks leaned back against Ruella.

"I guess you're the expert," said Tonks with a sigh.

Ruella laughed. "Yeah, that sure worked, didn't it? Merlin, I'm jealous. I never come that fast unless I'm unbelievably turned on. But I guess your brain's still involved, right? You said you got off on the changes."

"Yeah," she said, and then sighed. "Ru, how am I ever going to become Bellatrix? I can't get off on that. I won't. I don't want to know even more about that horrible woman's body."

"Maybe you really need to get it out of your system then," said Ruella. "Like, totally drain your batteries." She licked her fingers, then trailed them back down to Tonks' dripping pussy.

Nearly an hour later Tonks was back to her own body, trying to get one last orgasm in. The old faithful finally worked, and one last touch to Kat's clit did it. She was sore, tired, and not particularly interested in sex. She was also famished.

"OK," she said. "I think that's it. I'm going to grab some food and get thoroughly dressed, and then I'll do it. I think I need some privacy for that.

Ruella dressed herself while Tonks stumbled naked outside to the pantry. 

"All right," Tonks said when she'd gotten dressed. "I'll stay in hearing range. I promise I'll scream if something is going wrong. I mean, more wrong than this whole fucking idea already is."

She gripped her wand and found her way to the log.

Try to relax. Focus on the easy first. Hair. Hands. Rough shape. Let everything fall into place. Her body knew exactly how to do this, and it was every bit as terrifying as before, but she wasn't going to become her aunt. No more than she'd become Ruella. It was a living, breathing costume of flesh. 

Even in her sexually exhausted state she could feel the little stirrings. She knew every little hair, every secret crevice in Bellatrix's body, a shocking intimacy she never wanted. But it was to save Caleb. She shouldn't care if Bellatrix's body felt astonishing sensual, or if it responded unsettlingly like hers. That was literally the least scary thing about her aunt. She fervently hoped Bellatrix spent the rest of her days in bored masturbation sessions.

She'd done it. Not so easy as Ruella. And she'd been unable to avoid holding back just a little. Hopefully nothing an Auror would see.

She picked up her wand to complete the cover illusions. A few translucent veils, some indistinct sense of floating. She spoke the words in Bellatrix's voice, but she was expecting that. 

She wasn't expecting the power.

It was as if the earth itself had opened beneath her, invisible waves of power nearly lifting her from the ground, electrifying her fingers, her nipples, her clit. A dank stench of peat and sulfur accompanied her orgasm as the power of her simple illusion spell blossomed until everything that made her Tonks was simply extinguished

* * *

"TONKS! Please, Tonks, please, come back."

She felt warm tears on her cheeks, someone stroking her hair. Ruella. That was Ruella.

She opened her eyes with difficulty. They were crusted over, as though she'd been asleep for ages. She smelled vomit and piss and worse. Her body felt as though she'd been turned inside out and twisted into a tight cord. Her body. Tonks' body.

"Ru," she whispered, and Ruella kissed her on the lips, then immediately lifted her head slightly to a cup of water.

She couldn't have been out too long. The clearing looked the same. She felt putrid, though she could tell Ruella had already cleaned her up some. She squeezed her hands, wiggled her toes: it was Tonks. She was all right, if only barely.

"Food," she whispered, and Ruella immediately held out a cookie. Tonks crammed it in her mouth and then sat up to accept the full plate.

"What happened, Tonks?" asked Ruella fearfully. "Are you OK?"

"No," said Tonks. "I'm not OK. It was working. I had Bellatrix's body, well enough anyway, and I wasn't panicked. Then I cast a single spell, and all of a sudden I had her power, Ru. All of it, or that's what it felt like. It was horrible, impossible, and the worst thing was it was familiar. It nearly destroyed me, the Tonks part of me. And I think I had an orgasm in the process."

Ruella hugged her fiercely.

"But it didn't destroy you. You're tougher than that. And it looks like your magic knows how to get you back."

"It feels like it was rough going there," said Tonks with a weak smile. "Thanks for cleaning up. I smell like a latrine."

Ruella stroked her hair. "What do you want to do now?"

"Curl up and die," said Tonks. "And after that, try again."

Ruella left her alone to clean up, and then Tonks walked back to the tent.

"I was thinking," said Ruella. "You thought that was Bellatrix's magic you were tapping into. Did you feel like you were using my magic when you borrowed my body?"

"I don't think I actually tried," said Tonks. "It stands to reason, though. And I thought I did a more complete job with you anyway.

"So do it again," said Ruella. "Test that assumption first. That's gotta be better than Bellatrix, right? Not to flatter myself."

Tonks nodded. Anything, for certain. She ate another sausage, and then sat next to Ruella.

This time was a little faster. Not nearly as enjoyable, either, with both bodies feeling worn out.

Tentatively she raised her bare hand and concentrated. A fantastically detailed miniature castle appeared, uncomfortably heavy in her hand. It was cloaked in a tiny blizzard, with colorful lights and tiny figures moving about the ramparts. A second later it disappeared.

"Holy fuck," said Ruella. "That's so far beyond me I don't even understand it. Were those *people*?"

"I'm not entirely sure," said Tonks uncomfortably. "They kind of came along for the ride."

"Tonks, I know you're smart, and you've worked your ass off to do what you can do," said Ruella. "But what you just did isn't something even a brilliant witch can usually manage so easily, is it?"

Tonks blushed and shook her head. 

"So that's that," said Ruella. "That awful power you felt: I'm guessing that's you, Tonks. You were in Bellatrix's body and doing your best to feel like her, and then you tapped into your power in a way you'd never do normally. I know how terrified you are of your own strength."

Tonks relaxed back into her form and gave Ruella a hug. "That makes sense," she said. "A better theory than mine, for sure. Oh, Merlin, what a relief. Though maybe I shouldn't be so relieved, given what happened."

"But you already live with that," said Ruella. "It's just you, Tonks. And you're the best witch I know."


	21. Chapter 21

* * * Chapter 21 * * *

One more time, thought Tonks. Just get it right this time.

The transformation was uncomfortably easy this time. The sexual thrill was a lot stronger, too. That was just something to live with, though Ruella had selflessly offered to help her however she needed before the actual visit.

Carefully, she cast the weakest spell she could think of. A tiny flame, then nothing. Exactly as expected. She relaxed: Ruella was right. It was her all the way down. There was just a lot of down there. Her veiling spells didn't backfire. Ruella said she was terrifying and convincing, so that would have to do.

They got to sleep early that night. Neither had much to say, and what Tonks really wanted was a warm body. They slept entwined as lovers.

Tonks woke slowly from an erotic dream. Ruella was telling her something.

"Tonks? You awake?"

She sighed and nuzzled a bit more, only to realize she had been teasing and kissing Ruella's nipple through the thin material of her nightshirt.

"mmph. Argh, sorry, Ru. You can't take me anywhere."

Ruella laughed her light laugh, and then patted Tonks on the head.

"I'm kind of sorry I woke up," Ruella said. "I was having the nicest dream …"

"Me too," said Tonks.

After breakfast they packed up and got on the broom. Tonks was trying very hard not to think about what came next. 

Fordham had lived a mere ten miles from Ruella's old house, which was why he'd been the one on the scene. Ruella had never met the Auror when her mother was alive, which had struck Tonks as odd. But Ruella had shrugged it off. Her mother had kept her work entirely away from her family life. There was no reason to assume the two Aurors hadn't been friendly colleagues.

They'd argued about what to do if he'd moved since Ruella had visited. Tonks was inclined to think he was still there, or at least nearby. She was sure something was binding him to the crime scene.

"I think there's something ahead," said Ruella.

"Yeah," said Tonks. She'd been hoping Ruella would sense it. "Another anti-flying ward. Looks like Fordham is still here, and the ward seems to verify some of our guesses."

This ward was even stronger than the last one, but it was tighter as well. They were within a mile of the site. Once again they dismounted and began to hike.

The two of them could already smell the smoke of a wood fire when they came upon the next set of wards, a mere quarter mile from the cabin.

"All right," said Tonks. "This is where we part. The wards are going to get very difficult to evade, and I'm simply better at it. Fordham can't know there are any real witches or wizards approaching."

Ruella frowned, though they'd discussed this.

"I hate being left behind," she said. "Promise me you'll make a big ruckus if anything goes wrong. I might not be able to evade all the wards but I'm willing to bet I can blast them aside."

"Maybe," said Tonks. "Don't underestimate his skill. And I don't think I'll truly be in danger, or at least not from him. Keep yourself hidden here – I'm at least as worried about anyone else who might be watching."

She put down her pack. Just Tonks, her wand, and her magic now. She closed her eyes and began.

Bellatrix's body was waiting for her, quivering in anticipation. She gritted her teeth and *pushed* her own body away. Nothing but the core of Tonks hiding within this horrendous suit. Ruella might be right about her magic, but this body knew how it wanted to use magic. It knew what it meant to hurt, to dominate, and to take exquisite pleasure in all of it. She was dripping wet, and Ruella was right there. No better time to teach her how to please a real woman.

A wave of revulsion went through her. Good, Tonks. Hold onto that. With a jerky motion she lifted her wand, steadied it, and poured the smallest bit of magic into her spell. One after another, memorized motions feeling all wrong in this body.

"All right," she finally said. The world shimmered slightly to her eyes, as she would to an observer. She walked a few paces.

"Looks amazing," said Ruella. "You're a fucking floating nightmare. I have to fight the urge to run away."

"OK then," Tonks said. "This is it."

Ruella moved to give her a hug and Tonks recoiled. "Don't touch me," she hissed.

Ruella took a shocked step away, and then slowly nodded. 

"I understand, Tonks. Better get to it then."

It was the most excruciating walk Tonks could remember. Every step carefully testing wards, bending, slipping, countering them one by one when she could smash through it all at a run. She had so much fucking power, and so much anger for this Auror, the man standing between her and a cure for Caleb.

A simple wooden cabin came in sight. Smoke rising, a light in the window. She smiled maliciously, another thrill of excitement rushing up her legs. Why wait? She could have her first orgasm now. She reached for her other power, to *push* her clit into that silly large shape Tonks had, and then she froze.

When she'd gotten herself under control again, she moved forward. Only one powerful ward left, right outside the house. This one she would destroy. It was necessary, she reminded herself.

A projection wouldn't use a wand for this. She hid hers away and raised her hand.

The syllables poured out of her snarling lips with a ferocity that terrified her. She reached for her power, cautiously, feeling it writhing in her grasp, and then it was pouring through her like an immense river. She shrieked with the pure joy of it, Tonks desperately riding on top, aiming the smallest portion just *there*, at the weakest point of the ward.

An explosion lit up the dull afternoon, its concussion deafening her. Dirt and leaves swirled around her, the cloud mixing with her own veils. The ward was destroyed, and she'd cracked the door open in the process.

"Patrick Fordham," she called ecstatically. "Won't you be a good little wizard and welcome your visitor in?"

He came, as he had to. A small, terrified weasel of a man, barely taller than Bellatrix. Utterly beaten-looking. She felt her dominance in the throbbing of her pussy, and she reached for the spells that would let her play the humiliating games she loved with a man like this, and – she didn't know them. Tonks didn't know them.

She shuddered a sigh of revulsion and relief. She had a job to do, a horrible job. Nothing more. This man deserved her pity, not her hatred.

"Madame … Lestrange," Fordham managed. He slowly lowered his wand and gestured her to come in. She felt the lightest brush of wandless, silent magic from him. Good man, Auror instincts. Apparently she passed whatever test he'd tried, because he sagged visibly.

"How – how did you escape?" he asked softly.

She cackled.

"Oh, you stupid man. Either this projection is better than I realized, or you're so terrified your wits have leaked out your enormous ears. Azkaban is a difficult nut to crack, but there's not much to do here except plot escape, in one way or another. I'm rather proud of this particular trick."

She felt a much stronger wave of magic silently emerge from the Auror, even as he presented nothing but his terrified face to her. She felt a bit of grudging respect for that.

"Probe me all you want," she said. "Even in this limited form I have a certain strength, I've discovered. So sorry about your door." She cackled again.

"Why have you so, ah, unexpectedly visited me?"

"Oh, I came simply to torment you. Ha! No, Patrick. There is one other thing that you have time for in prison: revisiting old regrets. My husband has certain worries, so I have a question to ask you. IS IT SECURE?"

The air vibrated with the force of her voice. Yet underneath all of it, Tonks could feel herself quivering in nervous terror. She'd staked everything on this.

Fordham nodded vigorously.

"Yes, oh yes, everything is fine," he said. "I found it three weeks later, buried under a foot of soil. I immediately called Kadressa, as agreed, and she took it back to your vault. She said that she would inform you of it all somehow, though of course you were already – uh, difficult to reach. I've kept every bit of my bargain. I've been vigilant all these years, and not a single person has come snooping about the incident since."

Bellatrix nodded, smiling in what passed for a satisfied expression.

"One last question," she said. "Describe it to me. Every detail you remember."

His face fell and he looked truly terrified now.

"I – I can't. I truly can't, even though I want to! Kadressa is my Secret-Keeper. I would never have told anyone, of course, but I would be safe even if – surely she told you this?"

Tonks felt a cold disappointment settle upon her, and all the anger at this traitor came roaring back. How dare he sell Caleb's life for his own? But she had to answer him. And she realized she'd missed something: the Auror hadn't said a word about Ruella's own snooping. Perhaps he was protecting himself, but it was a dangerous game to lie to Bellatrix. 

"Yes," she said coldly. "I see everything is proper, as that garbled message from Kadressa implied. You were less useless than Rodolphus suggested."

She turned to go. 

"Thank you for your time," she said sarcastically.

"Wait," he said, voice strained. "My daughter. I have kept my bargain with Rodolphus, have I not? My daughter will remain safe?"

Tonks' anger and disappointment drained away, replaced by pity and her own shame. She considered dropping her disguise and telling him the truth, but there were far too many risks for that. He clearly was worried about a visit like this, and it was safer for him if he had nothing sensible to tell anyone else.

"Despite appearances," she said, "I do not have the time to chase down every two-bit wizard we may have made an agreement with. Nor do my associates have the time or reason to track down your daughter, when there are so many other matters to attend to. Keep up your watch and I see no reason for that to change. Goodbye, Mr. Fordham."

Perhaps it wasn't the most reassuring thing she could have said, but it seemed the best that one could expect from Bellatrix.

She stalked out the door and uttered a quick series of concealment spells before working her way back through the wards, quickly as she could. Her body was flagging, and it was probably safe to give up the disguise. With a tremendous effort she unclenched her magic to let it drain away.

Nothing happened.

Fighting panic, she evaded another ward. She was still incredibly tense. She'd tried so hard to hold this form, probably much too hard. It was a cramp, just like that first time with Kat. She wouldn't stay this way for long, surely. She just needed somewhere safe. Somewhere she could be in control again. Ruella, with those trusting black eyes and that dextrous tongue –

Gasping a sob, she pushed through the next ward. One step after another. No mistakes allowed. Finally she sensed the last ward, muttered the right incantation, and fell through. 

Ruella wasn't there, the bitch. She lifted her wand before realizing she hadn't emerged in quite the same spot. Trembling, she walked in the correct direction, dropping her concealment spells. She could be Tonks now. Any time.

Then Ruella was rushing towards her, all smiles and anxiety, and Bellatrix's exhausted body reached out for her. She needed some physical pleasure now, after all she'd done, and Ruella would thank her afterwards.

"Stay away from me," she said in a strangled voice. "I'm dangerous. I'm stuck, Ru, and this body has such horrible desires. I'll hurt you."

Ruella slowed and looked carefully at her. Then she walked straight at Bellatrix with her arms wide open.

"No, stay the fuck away," she sobbed, feeling the horrible power within her, the few brutal spells of compulsion that even Tonks knew, the leaping desire for her pleasure and Ruella's pain. 

She stumbled and flung herself on the ground, hands grasping in the dirt, trying to hurt this horrible body that wouldn't let go of her, and then gentle hands touched her shoulders, stroked through her beautiful lustrous hair, and Ruella settled her body against hers in the leaves and sticks and dirt. Tonks started to cry and Ruella held her tightly.

"It's OK, Tonks," said Ruella. "You're back. You never went anywhere."

"I was going to force you," said Tonks. "She's worse than I could ever imagine. It was all there in her body."

"You never have to do that again," said Ruella. "Here. ACCIO SAUSAGE."

It was so incongruous that Tonks nearly laughed, but of course she was famished. She turned her head and accepted the sausage.

"I couldn't have done this without you," she said after a while. "But Ru, I don't know what we gained." With difficulty she related the events in the cabin.

"OK then," said Ruella. "We know a lot more. We know our guess was right, that there was a very important item involved, something that Rodolphus was worried about leaving behind. Something in your aunt's vault? Surely your mother will know! We can go get it, and –"

"The Lestrange's vault," said Tonks. "That's the one Kadressa would have had access to. No way any of us are getting in there. And I'm pretty sure it's stuffed with any number of artifacts."

"Leaving just Kadressa," said Ruella, voice falling. "Dumbledore said she disappeared shortly after the war. She must have been involved in the attacks, up to her eyeballs. She's the one we need."

"Probably," agreed Tonks. "But they haven't found her in all these years. Oh, Ru, I'm exhausted. Let's get out of here, get some food, and then sleep. Maybe we'll think of something else in the morning."

But when morning came, they were just as stumped. No sign of Rodolphus's spell. Fordham's watchful protection on the site likely didn't even conceal any evidence. An item that might or might not give them the clue they needed, its identity locked up with a witch who'd successfully evaded capture for years.

"There's nothing," said Tonks after they argued one more time. "We have to go back and lay everything out to Dumbledore. He might have some ideas. Some guesses at least."

Ruella nodded tiredly. Tonks didn't think she'd slept much the night before. By the time they finally reached the suburban Metro station, Ruella was drooping visibly.

"It'll be OK," said Tonks. "We made progress."

"Not enough," Ruella mumbled. They took a seat on the nearly-empty car. In a few minutes Ruella was sound asleep on her shoulder.


	22. Chapter 22

* * * Chapter 22 * * *

"What will we do?" Ruella asked. They sat again waiting their turn at the Iceland Portkey.

"Whatever we need," Tonks said. 

"I might be expelled," said Ruella in a small voice. "I won't be of much help then. I never thought past this trip."

"Worry about that when or if you need to," said Tonks.

When they arrived in London, Ruella sheepishly allowed Tonks to do the Apparating. They arrived smoothly in Hogsmeade, as though nothing had happened at all. No one even looked twice at them.

They couldn't say the same when they reached Hogwarts. In the Entrance hall they nearly bumped into Alexa on her way out.

"Where the fuck have you two been?" she asked. "Ruella's father claimed it was somewhere important, but it's hard to see what – oh, never mind. I'm glad you're back. I'm so sorry."

"What? What happened?" Ruella was terrified.

"Oh, I mean, nothing, but – well, you should go see Caleb. I'm sorry, but he hasn't woken up yet."

The two of them ran to the hospital wing, Ruella easily outpacing Tonks. They burst into Caleb's room, and there he was. Just the same as when they'd left, days ago. Alex was in the same place as well, but he looked as though he'd aged several years. He brightened with a hopeful smile when he saw them.

"Oh, Dad, how is he?" Ruella rushed into her father's arms and he hugged her tight.

"Not so good," he said. "Apparently the surgery went pretty well, but they don't know why he's not waking up. Please, please tell me you two found something."

"Maybe," said Tonks. "We did learn something, for sure. But we have to talk to Dumbledore to see if it's enough."

Alex's face faded slowly. 

"I suppose there's some hope then. And thank you for being honest," he said. "Seems most people here don't think I'm strong enough for that."

"Oh, Papa," said Ruella, hugging him tighter. "I'm so sorry I ran out on you like that. I promise I'll be right back here after we find Dumbledore."

It took less time than they expected, as Dumbledore was waiting for them when they emerged from the infirmary. 

"Follow me," he said sternly, and they were silent for the whole walk to his office.

When they'd taken their seats, Dumbledore cleared his throat.

"Now is when I harangue you for having endangered yourselves, for breaking my trust, for all the ways I'm disappointed in you. But frankly I'm an old man, and I'm tired, so let's skip that part and assume I did a competent job of it. Tell me what you found."

Taken aback, they slowly assembled their story, leaving nothing out apart from the truly private details. Tonks saw no way out of explaining what she'd done, but she didn't sense any surprise from Dumbledore. Apparently he'd already deduced Tonks' hidden abilities.

"Can you help Fordham?" she said when she'd finished. "He only did what he thought was necessary to protect his daughter. I felt awful leaving him like that, maybe even more terrified. I might have endangered both of them, and I couldn't see any way to help."

Albus Dumbledore leaned forward in his chair and looked at Tonks carefully.

"You didn't tell me what it was like to impersonate Bellatrix," he said. "But I can guess. And even with all of that woman's base instincts fighting with yours, you were managing to worry about the man you were scaring, and a daughter you didn't know. I want you to remember this, Tonks."

He sighed. "I'll see what we can do for Fordham. At the very least we can set a covert watch on his daughter. Now, as to the matter you set off on, I will think on it. Unfortunately Tonks is right about the Lestrange vault. No doubt they have dozens of items that are powerful enough to serve for the ritual we may assume was invoked. But the apparently unexpected reaction of the Cursed item is curious. Ordinary Cursed items would not have injured a caster or buried themselves after the ritual. Also curious is the effort to which Rodolphus apparently went to retrieve it. Something is strange in this matter, and I cannot immediately unravel it."

Ruella anxiously cleared her throat. "Then, what's the next step? How do we save Caleb?"

Dumbledore shook his head. "I don't know. Perhaps I will think of something. Perhaps Snape will come up with a more permanent solution. I find I have no advice except to hope, and we must admit how unrealistic that may be. Ruella, you and Tonks have done more than anyone could have. More than I dreamed possible. I think now may be the time to simply be there for Caleb and your father."

Ruella was desperately trying not to cry. Tonks grasped for something to say.

"Is Ruella in disciplinary trouble?" she asked. "I'll take full responsibility for everything. I was the one who planned the whole trip. She was only –"

"You were her temporary guardian, as her father made clear to me. She was practicing Apparating under carefully controlled conditions, in the company of the most responsible young woman here at Hogwarts. The Ministry understood perfectly once I explained it," he said, giving a tired smile. He stood up abruptly and motioned to the door.

"If that will be all, then?"

They stumbled out of the office into the cold hallway.

"Tonks, I – sorry, I can't. I have to go tell my Dad."

Ruella hurried off.

The halls were deserted. It was still the middle of spring break, and many students would be back with their parents. Tonks couldn't muster the energy to visit hers. Caleb and Ruella and their father had each other, at least. She was starved, but she still carried her pack full of food. She could just set the cupboard up in the middle of her room and Accio Biscuits all night. Surely it would be better in the morning.

She stumbled into an empty Hufflepuff common room. She was half-tempted to walk right into the boys' side. Compared to the charms she'd evaded yesterday the sad little thing on the door didn't stand a chance. Find a nice young man and make his evening. Though probably she was flattering herself.

Finally she slumped into her room and tossed down her bag. Merlin, she stank. She was too fucking tired for a shower. She'd already pulled her shirt off when a voice interrupted her.

"Tonks? What's wrong? Is Caleb …?"

Tomoko was sitting up on her bed. Topless, apparently awoken from an early night to bed. Tonks stared at her breasts for a minute, mind sluggish. Then her legs collapsed and she found herself sitting on the floor.

Tomoko was up next to her in an instant, warm skin pressed against hers.

"He's the same," Tonks said leadenly. "We tried. We tried so hard, and it all came to nothing."

"Ssh, Tonks," said Tomoko. "You're shivering. Let me get you into –"

"I'm hungry," said Tonks. She started to giggle. "Accio Biscuit!" she shouted. She couldn't stop giggling.

Out of her pack the little wooden box came flying. It landed right next to her, and in mere seconds it unfolded to its full size. Tomoko yelped and rolled away, but there was no danger. She'd constructed it carefully. The top drawer opened and several biscuits flew out. Tonks immediately devoured one. She tried not to choke on crumbs as she kept convulsively giggling.

Tomoko came back and wrapped her with a blanket. Tonks' giggles finally died down, and she slumped exhausted against her roommate, occasionally summoning something else to eat.

"You want to talk about it?" Tomoko asked.

"I can't," said Tonks. "It's dangerous, Tomoko. I did something foolhardy, a last-ditch effort to help Caleb. Ruella and me. It didn't work, though I guess we came out OK. Mostly OK. I'm OK."

Tomoko stroked her bare shoulder, and a little echo of Bellatrix shifted inside her, like a serpent. "No!" she hissed.

Tomoko carefully made space.

Tonks breathed carefully. This wasn't going away. Maybe she should talk to the therapist that Pomfrey kept mentioning. Or maybe right now she just needed to flush her system out.

"Tomoko, remember when you said you were OK with hugs, and maybe something more?"

Her roommate nodded cautiously.

"I think I need something more. If you don't mind."

Tomoko sighed. "Are you absolutely sure, Tonks? I don't know what happened to you, but you seem in pretty rough shape. I don't want to take advantage –"

"I can't fully explain it," said Tonks. "But imagine you were forced to feel someone else's desires, someone monstrous who only took true pleasure when it caused someone else pain. I still feel disgusting, Tomoko. I need to feel like I'm in my own body again. I need something honest and beautiful, and you are both."

Tomoko looked slightly stunned. She nodded slowly.

"All right," she said unsteadily. "Tell me what you need, then."

"I need to be fucked," she said. "I need someone else to be in control, someone I trust, and I need you not to freak out if I seem to be responding weirdly. My magic's all haywire, Tomoko. I'll tell you if I want you to stop."

Tomoko smiled. "That sounds positively wicked. Let's get to it, then!"

"Wait, I'm a mess. I've been traveling all day. I smell like –"

"A beautiful, sexy woman," said Tomoko, lifting Tonks' arm and planting a kiss directly on her armpit. Tonks laughed and then gasped when Tomoko licked her there.

Tomoko pushed her onto her back and straddled her, undoing her bra and staring at her boobs.

"I've wanted to do this since – well, you can guess," Tomoko said, and then gently lowered her lips to Tonks' breast.

It was so lovely, so gentle, and Tonks struggled to stay with that feeling. Everything inside her was roiling, a mess of desires and ugly thoughts and worries. She pressed her stomach against Tomoko's breasts and scratched her nails along her roommate's bare back. Tomoko purred and trailed her hand down to Tonks' crotch.

When she slipped her fingers down the front of Tonks' trousers, Tonks felt that delicious tightening beginning. Tomoko was the kind of lover she needed, one who didn't need to be told twice how to service her. She should just slip out of this child's inexperienced body and into a mature woman's, one who understood how to take pleasure properly.

Tonks shrieked and her magic flared wildly. Tomoko was thrown off of her, bouncing hard off the wall to land on Tonks' bed.

In an instant Tonks was up and staggering over to the bed.

"Oh, Tomoko, I'm so sorry, I'm sorry. Are you hurt?"

Tomoko slowly shook her head and reached for Tonks' hand.

"Tonks," she said. "What happened? Who was it that you're so terrified of? You told me it was dangerous, but I'm your friend, and I'm not stupid. I know you're a much more powerful witch than you let anyone see. I know you and Ruella were working on understanding the attack that caused Caleb's injuries. I understand well enough how that kind of research could be dangerous."

Tonks sat heavily next to Tomoko.

"It was my aunt, Bellatrix." she said softly.

An expression of horror came over Tomoko's face. "You had to be exposed to that monster? Oh, Tonks, I'm so sorry."

"It's in me," said Tonks. "It's in my blood. I have so much fucking power. I've spent so long being so cautious, and now I'm never going to forget how awful it feels to *want* to use that power. Thank you for trying to help, but I think this was a mistake. It's like I have my own Curse growing in me now."

Tomoko kissed her on the cheek.

"I think you've had a horrible experience. And I think you're in grief and blaming yourself every way you can. Let's get you a shower and put you to bed, and we can talk in the morning."

Tonks let herself be pulled along to the showers. Everything seemed slightly off, as though she were just a projection. Maybe she really was Bellatrix, sitting in her prison cell and having a joke on the whole world. There never had been a real Tonks.

She was in a shower stall with Tomoko, and Tomoko was taking the rest of Tonks' clothes off. She tried to help but somehow she couldn't make her fingers work. Then Tomoko was naked as well and supporting her. Tonks sighed when the hot water fell on them, filling up the space between their bodies, running off of Tomoko's brown shoulder and disappearing between Tonks' breasts.

Some time later she found herself sitting back against Tomoko, her roommate gently shampooing her hair. She started crying, without knowing quite why.

"That's good," Tomoko said. "Keep crying, sweetie."

She felt Tomoko shift slightly behind her. Tomoko made a perfect pillow, but these stalls weren't really that comfortable for sitting. With a gesture and a whisper, Tonks replaced the floor and some of the wall with a comfortable, spongy moss. Tomoko gasped with delight.

"That's wonderful," said Tomoko, giving her a hug. "You're so talented, Tonks. Oh, my ass feels better already." She shifted again, pressing herself more tightly against Tonks' back. Her roommate was so warm, and Tomoko was breathing quickly, in a way familiar to Tonks from many nights of eavesdropping.

Tonks set her hands on Tomoko's thighs, kneading lightly.

"Tomoko," she said. "I had it the wrong way around. Bellatrix doesn't give a shit about anyone else's pleasure. Tonks does. Is it OK if I eat you out?"

Tomoko sat still for a moment, then began to laugh.

"Tonks, that is the strangest and most beautiful offer I've ever gotten. And if that's what will make you feel better, there is no way I'm turning it down. You're sure this is what you want?"

"Yeah," said Tonks. "But I mean, I could do something else if you'd prefer it. And maybe another time –"

"Let's not overthink it, then," said Tomoko. "Merlin, of course I want you to eat me out, Tonks. This is like a top-three fantasy for me."

The warm water sluiced off Tonks' back as she planted kisses along Tomoko's thighs. Something inside her was finally unclenching. Tomoko sobbed slightly and gripped Tonks' head when she finally brushed her tongue along the length of her roommate's slit.

She needed more guidance from Tomoko than she had with Kat. Caleb had always been shy about Tomoko, so Tonks hadn't been able to learn exactly what she liked from the inside. But this was better anyway. She slid two fingers inside Tomoko and with some coaching she found exactly the spot Tomoko needed stimulating.

As her roommate neared climax, Tonks started to use her magic to play with her own clit again. She imagined her clit growing into Caleb's dick, and the feeling of pressing its length into Tomoko. When Tomoko began to shake with an orgasm, Tonks had her own small climax. It was nothing earth-shattering, but so reassuring. When Tomoko had finished Tonks slid up to kiss her roommate. Tomoko smiled as she licked her own juices off of Tonks' lips and cheek.

"Tonks, that was the best pussy-licking I've had in ages. I never would have guessed. Oh, please tell me you'll let me return the favor!"

Tonks kissed her again.

"Maybe another time," she said. "That was what I needed, too."

They finished their shower and dried off together.

When they returned to their room, Tomoko took off what few clothes she'd put on and reached for Tonks' hand. Soon the two of them were snuggled naked in Tomoko's bunk.

"Thank you so much," said Tonks. "I'm still terribly worried about Caleb. But I don't feel so much like a monster any more."

"You're the furthest thing from that," said Tomoko, gently stroking her across the chest. Tonks sighed and didn't stop her.

"Next time you'll have to tell me what your other top fantasies are," said Tonks. 

Tomoko kissed her gently, once on each nipple, causing Tonks to shiver lightly.

"Maybe," said Tomoko. "And maybe I can get you to let down your guard. Just for once. Because I really do want to return the favor. But I know it's hard to let go of secrets."

Tonks sighed at the truth of that. But she was feeling a lot less awful. Caleb was still alive. Maybe she'd think of something.


	23. Chapter 23

* * * Chapter 23 * * *

Tonks immediately felt guilty when she went to visit Caleb the next morning. Ruella was completely ruined, as though she'd hardly slept. Alex was gaunt, seeming years older than the first time they'd met. And Caleb of course was still asleep.

"The Curse has been pushed back a bit," said Pomfrey. "He is breathing better. The surgery accomplished what we'd hoped. Everything about his situation is unique, but I still think he will be awake within a day or so. In the meantime, perhaps you folks could go get some fresh air and rest. He is not in immediate danger, and when he does wake I think you'll want to give him your best energy."

Ruella and Tonks wandered without much plan around the quiet corridors. The reality of Caleb's situation was finally sinking into Tonks, a dread weight that she couldn't shake off.

"I never told him," said Ruella. "And now it might be too late."

"Pomfrey doesn't think so. You can tell him whatever you need to when he wakes up."

"It's not fair," said Ruella.

They walked silently. Of course it wasn't fair. Tonks had hoped after a night of sleep, of enjoying herself a little, maybe she'd have a brilliant idea. But of course there wasn't anything. They'd done their best and it wasn't enough.

Ruella had led them towards their bathroom. Intentional or not, it seemed as good a place as any to get away. Tonks renewed the enchantments when they entered, even calling in a few more birds.

They sat on the couch she'd cleverly disguised as a log. When Tonks leaned into her, Ruella kissed her on the lips, none too gently.

"I need something," said Ruella. "Please, make me feel something."

"You sure, Ru?"

"Merlin, yes," said Ru, pulling at her clothes with a frantic energy. "I need you. I need – oh, the truth is I need Caleb. Could you?"

Tonks kissed her. She was already letting the blood engorge her clit, feeling some of Caleb's muscles filling out. And his face. It was so much easier this time. She'd leave her shirt on, just like Caleb. She let her boobs fall back to their unmagical size.

Ruella pulled off her trousers and panties together, licked her fingers, and began rubbing herself. She gave a little surprised sound when Tonks finished changing her face, then tentatively kissed her on the lips.

"Tonks," she said softly. "I couldn't do this when he – when he's gone. I have to do it now. Is this OK?"

"Of course, sweetie," said Tonks. Merlin, she was getting aroused. She finished changing, and suddenly her underwear pressed uncomfortably on her balls. She got herself undressed, and Ruella's hand immediately encircled her dick. And then Ruella leaned over and began to use her tongue.

"Oh, Ru, that feels amazing," she said with Caleb's voice. Ruella was shaking with sadness or excitement or some combination. Ruella's fingernails scraped over her balls and she moaned. Her other hand was a blur between her legs. Tonks began to stroke her chest gently, circling her nipples and tweaking them lightly. 

All of a sudden Ruella sat up, looking her in the eyes.

"I want it in me," she said. "It – it doesn't count if it's in the butt, right?"

Tonks had no idea what logic this was, but she smiled and stroked Ruella's shoulder.

"Whatever you want, Ru. If you're sure."

Ruella shook her head and climbed onto Tonks' lap. "I don't know. I just – maybe there's still a chance with Caleb, the real one. Fuck, this is confusing, but I need him in me now. I know you won't hurt me. Either of you. Oh, Tonks, just fuck me, please."

Tonks gently stroked Ruella between the legs, spreading her lubrication further back. She muttered a little spell to augment the juices, just in case. She had no idea what this would be like, and she was oddly jealous. She'd worked out pretty fast that Caleb's dick was far too big for her ass, much as she liked gentle teasing. They'd never gotten around to finding a body that liked it enough to make it work.

Ruella got herself positioned, asshole bumping on the head of Caleb's massive dick. She leaned forward and kissed Tonks, then pushed herself against the dick.

"Relax," said Tonks. "Let's do it really slow."

"I want it all right now," whispered Ruella. "Is there anything –"

"Oh," said Tonks. "Of course. I can make it smaller. Easier to start."

She let the dick shrink. It was still amazingly hard, and there was a pleasant hum of familiarity as her own clit entered the mixture.

She had reduced it nearly halfway when the head suddenly popped inside Ruella.

"Oh, fuck!" Ruella squeezed in spasms, her eyes wide and staring into Caleb's.

"How does it feel?" Tonks asked.

"Amazing," breathed Ruella, settling slightly forward and tipping her hips. Her dick slid most of the rest of the way in.

Tonks took Caleb's hand and began caressing Ruella, stroking closer and closer to her vulva, and finally taking over her friend's masturbation. Ruella rocked back and forth, groaning.

"This is so wonderful," said Ruella. "I can't believe we're having sex. Fuck, I'm going to come already."

She'd barely finished saying it when she started to grunt and gasp. She kissed Tonks full on the lips and didn't let go, riding her orgasm until her body finally stopped shaking.

Tonks kept moving her hips gently. Ruella felt tight, but there was plenty of lubrication. Slowly she let Caleb's dick expand a little.

"What? Oh, shit, are you making it bigger?"

"Is it OK?"

"It feels spectacular. I didn't know I could ever feel filled like this. Is this how big he really is?"

"Well, actually –"

Tonks let herself grow another inch and Ruella gasped. "Still plenty more," she said softly.

"Do it," said Ruella. "Fill me up just like Caleb. I want to feel him."

Tonks kissed her and looked her in the eyes. Then she *pushed*, and felt his massive organ expanding, squeezing against the inside of Ruella. 

Her friend let out a long, low moan, one that kept going even after the transformation was complete.

"Are you OK?" Tonks asked.

"You're so big," she said. "It's better than I ever dreamed." She looked down at herself. Tonks still had a good two or three inches outside her, and it didn't seem she'd be getting any deeper in this position.

"Cum in me, Caleb," she said urgently. "Do whatever you need."

Gently Tonks lifted up her friend's leg. Ruella got the idea and began to turn herself on Tonks' immense dick, until she faced away from her. Tonks pulled her back against her chest, putting her oddly mismatched hands on Ruella's tiny boobs. And then she began to fuck her friend, harder and harder.

"Oh, Caleb, Caleb," Ruella grunted, over and over again. She brought her hand down to herself and began masturbating again.

Tonks felt as though her balls were on fire. She nibbled Ruella's shoulder, breathing hard as Ruella slammed down on her dick. Over and over. Caleb's body was so strong, even with only the few muscles she'd borrowed.

"I'm coming," she said in Caleb's voice, and it sounded so much like him that she started to cry with the painful memory of it. And then she took a deep breath and exploded inside Ruella.

Some time later she found she was still rocking inside her friend. Still incredibly hard, though she suspected it would take a while to come again. She slowed and held her friend.

"Tonks?" Ruella said softly. "I think I need you back."

It was a strange sensation, as though she was melting back out of Ruella. They were both covered in Caleb's cum, a weirdly familiar sensation on Tonks' clit. Her face softened, the slight bristle of beard disappeared, and then it was just Tonks and Ruella. They were both crying.

"Thank you so much," said Ruella between hiccups. "I'm never going to forget that feeling. Oh, Merlin, I hate it. Why couldn't we have figured it out?"

Tonks hugged her tight. The birds chirped and the stars turned slowly overhead, and they fell into a fitful sleep.

* * *

Tonks woke to a kiss and she smiled, beginning to respond. Fuck, she was horny. And hungry. Then everything came crashing back to her.

"That's nice," she said, wiping away a tear. Ruella was already dressed. Tonks quickly cleaned up and joined her.

Tonks idly waved her hand and stole some more food from the bureau in her room. The two of them walked back out munching on some stale biscuits.

"I don't know what I'm going to do," said Ruella. "I don't know how I'll go on."

"Ssh," said Tonks. "Let's see how Caleb is."

They walked into the room only to find him awake, sitting up, and holding his father's hand.

"Caleb!!" Ruella ran at him, and he smiled weakly to accept her hug.

"I'm OK," he said softly. "Just so tired. I don't hurt any more."

"That's because of the cocktail that Snape's been brewing," said Madame Pomfrey as she entered. "Now it's time for your next dose."

She gave him the flask and he reluctantly downed the vile-smelling stuff.

"Hi, Tonks," he said.

She couldn't stand it any more, so she leaned over and kissed him full on the lips. He responded immediately, eagerly joining the way they'd done so many times. Tonks broke it off, trying not to cry.

Alex was looking away, wiping the tears streaming down his face. But when he looked back at Tonks, there was a warmth she didn't remember, mixed with the pain.

"I'm so sorry," she told him. "We tried so hard. We just couldn't –"

"Ssh," said Caleb. "I know you practically killed yourself trying to help me. It's out of all of our hands now."

Pomfrey cleared her throat. "If you could give Caleb some privacy, I have to do a little examination. But he should be able to leave afterwards, for a while. It would do him some good to get some exercise."

The three of them filed back out to wait for him.

"Two weeks," said Alex softly. "That's what they bought him. But he'll feel all right. In the end, he'll just sleep."

There was nothing to say to that. They had Caleb back, and that was all that really mattered.

A half hour later he came out slowly, supported by Pomfrey. Alex took his arm and Ruella gave him a full-body hug.

"Can we get some food?" he asked. "I'm starving."

Their little group attracted a surprising number of well-wishers from the near-empty dining hall. Caleb smiled at each new arrival, accepting their hopes for his speedy recovery. It was enough to drive Tonks insane.

"It's all right," said Caleb. "All this will be much worse for everyone else. I'm drugged up to my eyeballs anyway."

When the others had finished and Tonks started to feel too self-conscious with her fourth plate, they got up to leave.

"Can I talk to Tonks for a while?" Caleb asked. 

"Of course," said Alex, before Ruella could reply. "You should take the afternoon together. Ruella, you want to accompany me outside? I could use some fresh air and some company."

Alex turned that barest hint of a smile on Tonks before taking Ruella's hand and heading out.

"Tonks," said Caleb. "I'm so sorry for how I behaved. I was so sure - I was arrogant, Tonks. Thinking that only I could do what was needed."

"It's OK," said Tonks, holding his hand tight. "I know how important –"

"You're important," said Caleb. "You and Ruella and Dad. Anyway, I'm done, even if I didn't want to be. The potions they have me on – there's no way I can concentrate for hours the way I have to. I can barely remember a thought from one minute to the next. Even the ordinary senses that are mostly subconscious – all that's pretty weak right now."

They walked quietly through the hall.

"You and Ruella have been working this whole time to solve my Curse, haven't you?"

"Yeah," said Tonks. "Not that it came to anything."

"It means so much to me," he said. "I'm so glad Ruella got to know you. That I got to know you."

Tonks looked up with a start. They were approaching the bathroom, the one that she'd just left with Ruella.

Caleb stared at the lush scene when they entered.

"I came here sometimes," she said. "With Ruella, too. It seemed relaxing to do it up this way."

"This is amazing," Caleb said as they sat on the couch/log.

Tonks shifted closer against him, and he grunted and sighed. Awkwardly he put his arm around her.

"I slept with Kat," he finally said. "I'm so sorry –"

"Me too," said Tonks. "I mean, I slept with her too. She's such a beautiful person. I know you made her happy."

Caleb stared at her, and then started to laugh.

"Oh. Well, then. I guess, uh, I guess we can skip that awful conversation, then?"

"Yeah," said Tonks. "Unless you want to talk details. Makes me hot remembering it."

Caleb's entire chest shook with laughter. It felt wonderful. She snuggled closer to him.

"Tonks," he said finally. "I've had an erection since I woke up. I had trouble even using the bathroom. Pomfrey told me it was likely a side-effect of Snape's potions. And then she told me exercise couldn't possibly hurt and would probably do me good. She terrifies me, sometimes."

"Well," Tonks said. "Doctor's orders, then. Let's get to it." She put her hand on his crotch and found he was not exaggerating.

Caleb moaned. "Merlin, I've missed you." 

His dick was as hard as she could remember. As fun as it was to try on, there was nothing like the feeling of *him* under her hands. She licked him gently, the way Ruella had, and he sighed.

"Can we fuck?" she asked.

"Please," he moaned. "I can't stand it any more. Oh, Tonks, I've missed this so much. I'm so tired, though. I don't know how much I can help."

She didn't even take her socks off. Shirt on, pubic hair bright pink to match her hair. But a little surprise, inside.

She got herself positioned, locked lips with him, and then sank onto him, all the way down. Kat's pussy lit up like a firecracker. Oh, how Kat must have loved fucking him.

"Tonks!" Caleb groaned. "What? Oh, I can't believe how good –"

"It was a perk of fucking Kat," she said into his ear. "I can't believe how much her pussy likes the feeling of you. I should have fucked her a long time ago. How did it feel, when you realized she could take all of you?"

Caleb moaned and shook his head. 

"Tonks – oh, I'm not going to last. It's been too long. It's –"

He suddenly jerked, his eyes closing tight. She felt the warm liquid filling her, Kat's pussy pulsing as though it wanted to drink him dry. She was alive to her fingertips, her nipples gently changing without her conscious control. She'd missed this so much.

When he'd finished, she rested on him, his immense dick buried deep within her. They kissed and stroked each other. She'd forgotten how his smell drove her crazy. She *pushed* and began to pulse her clit, making tiny circles on him. He felt every bit as hard as when he'd entered her.

"Caleb," she whispered. "That doesn't seem to have worked. You think we need to keep trying?"

"Definitely," he murmured. "Though I don't think I'll come very soon."

She put her hands in his hair and began to fuck him deliberately, just small thrusts, but timed perfectly with her no-hands masturbation. When she hit the edge, she sighed and let her body relax against the coming orgasm. The wave of pleasure slapped her so hard she nearly lost her balance.

"Oh, Tonks," he was murmuring. She slowly came to her senses, her pussy grasping around his dick.

"Caleb," she muttered in between kisses. "You ever thought about doing it in my ass?"

"What?" he said, his dick twitching. "I – no! I mean, I didn't think you. Oh."

"I take that as a yes," she said. Carefully she pulled herself off him, then faced away. Amused at the deja vu, she gently cast a lubricating spell on herself.

She wasn't entirely surprised when she couldn't get the head inside her. But she had some alternatives. She'd had her finger inside a few girls' asses now. 

To her delight, it was Tomoko's ass that greedily opened up and accepted his dick. He must know she was changing some things, but he didn't say anything. Carefully she pressed herself down on him, reveling in the immense feeling of fullness. Amusingly, she felt like she needed to take a crap, but it was a good feeling. Like the feeling when she *pushed*. It felt damn good. She slid another inch onto him before taking a deep breath. She could handle it. Pretend she was Tomoko.

"Holy shit, Tonks," he said. Her own ass clenched him like iron. It was exquisite, and there was enough lube that she could push down even further. But to her disappointment, she didn't think this hole could take any more of him than her other.

When she came again, her empty pussy nearly screamed to be filled again. What would it be like if there were another guy? She couldn't even imagine who it would be. Maybe a girl with a big fat dildo. As she rode out the wave of orgasm, she imagined Kat stroking her and fucking her with a toy from her collection.

Two orgasms later, Caleb's erection was subsiding slightly. 

"No more," he whimpered. "Oh, Merlin, that was the best sex I've ever had."

Tonks rolled off him and started to clean both of them with her wand.

"I'm going to be walking funny for a day," she said. "I can't believe how good you feel, Caleb."

Caleb reached out and she settled down next to him again. After a few minutes she found she was holding back tears.

"Dumbledore might think of something," she said. "We found out a lot of things, and he got that look on his face where he's thinking hard."

Caleb kissed her on the cheek.

"No," he said. "No, Tonks. I've never been able to sense myself past this year. No graduation, no ministry job, no beautiful wife and kids. Just flashes of things not involving me at all. Some of them are horrible, but there is that one final vision of victory. I've known a long time that this was it, though I hoped I'd have a little longer. Tonks, I'm happy right now with you. In a way I'm glad my work got taken away from me, because now I get to stay happy."

Tonks started crying harder.

"I'm sorry," she said. "Way to kill the mood. I want to enjoy every minute of it with you. But there are other people who want to spend time with you, too. I think maybe I should hand you off."

"All right," said Caleb. "It looks like I'll still be sleeping in the hospital. If you want you can come by later. I don't think Pomfrey will mind."

"Your dad seems to like me," she said. "But he still might have a little trouble with me sucking your dick in front of him."

Caleb laughed. "There's time enough, Tonks. Plenty of time."

But when they met Ruella and Alex for an early dinner, Caleb was already beginning to flag.

"Sorry," he said as they finished. "Pomfrey said I wouldn't have much energy. Maybe we can go sit outside for a little before dark?"

"You go ahead," Tonks said to the others. "I've been monopolizing Caleb's time enough today. "

Tonks figured she might as well use the time productively and get a head start on next week's schoolwork. She wanted to make her time with Caleb count.

When she opened the door, Tomoko looked up from her reading with a concerned expression.

"He's awake," she said. "He's feeling good. But he only has about two weeks left."

She flopped on her bed, putting her pillow over her head. Suddenly she didn't have the energy to do any work.

The bed shifted slightly as Tomoko sat next to her.

"Is there anything I can do?" her roommate asked.

Tonks picked up the pillow and looked at her roommate.

"You've been the best," she said. "I don't know that there's anything you can do. Thank you so much for last night. Merlin, it's like my libido's in overdrive. I think I even exhausted Caleb this afternoon. I just want to fuck him nonstop for the next two weeks."

Tomoko's eyes widened and Tonks felt herself reddening. She dropped the pillow back on her face.

"Argh, I feel like such a selfish slut," she said. "As though it's all about me."

"Tonks," said Tomoko, pushing the pillow aside. "I hope you're not feeling guilty about what we did. I really wish you wouldn't. Do you think Caleb would give a damn?"

"No," mumbled Tonks. "No, of course he wouldn't. He doesn't seem to get jealous. He'd probably just find it hot. He's a guy, you're sexy and adorable. That's not the point."

Tomoko kissed her gently on the forehead. "What is the point, then?"

"Fuck if I know," said Tonks. "No, I mean, does it make any sense to fuck my way through the last weeks of Caleb's life? Shouldn't I be thinking of something really important, rewarding, meaningful, whatever? What would you want if you only had two weeks?"

"An unlimited supply of Zinki's chocolate bombs," said Tomoko immediately, causing Tonks to grin despite herself. "And all my friends, close by. Friends who were willing to fuck me sideways, in every combination possible."

Tonks couldn't help giggling a little at that.

"Oh, all right," she said. "I guess there are worse ways to go out. Maybe I just feel bad for enjoying it so much."

"Right," said Tomoko. "Because I'm sure deadly serious depressed-fucking is what Caleb wants. Seriously, Tonks, this sounds totally reasonable to me. Death is what reminds us we're alive, right?"

"I wish it wouldn't," said Tonks. 

"Yeah."

* * *

When Tonks dropped by the hospital wing later, Caleb was fast asleep, as was Alex on his little cot. Ruella got up from her seat and took Tonks' hand. After a few minutes they slipped out.

"How you doing?" Tonks asked.

"Shitty," said Ruella. "Though I was feeling pretty good earlier. Caleb was hilarious. He seems years younger, you know, like he's really at peace. Also, I have my suspicions about what you two were doing this afternoon. He had this kind of goofy grin at times that he claimed was because of Snape's potion."

"Guilty," said Tonks. "In more ways than one. I felt really selfish taking up all his time and energy like that."

Ruella sighed. "Obviously he enjoyed it, so I hardly think you should feel selfish. Oh, Tonks, truly I'm so glad for you two. I have to admit I'm feeling a little jealous."

Tonks took Ruella's hand. She could see it, clear as anything: Ruella wasn't going to say anything to Caleb, and he was even less likely to say a word. What a stupid thing to still be denying themselves.

"Ru," she said. "I'm going to take you somewhere I think you'll like. It's Caleb's secret, really, but at this point I don't think he'll mind."

"Oh," said Ruella. "I guess I'm intrigued. Lead on, Tonks."

When they reached the closet, she copied Caleb and instructed Ruella to keep quiet. She hit the pattern right, and the panel opened. Ruella gasped in surprise.

She didn't stop when they got in, leading Ruella right around the corner to the viewing slots.

Ruella looked, drew her breath in, and then started to laugh softly in disbelief.

"Guess it runs in the family. So my brother is a total pervert too?"

"A lot less than me, as it happens," said Tonks. "I was the one who kept dragging him back here. He'd always felt guilty about it."

"So you – watched other girls together?"

"Yeah," said Tonks. "It was particular nice when he fucked me from behind while we did that. Sometimes I would change to match part of whoever we were watching."

"That's – wow, that's hot," said Ruella. "Oh, this is so great. Are any of these looking at guys? What about that one on the end?"

"No, that's the Slytherin girls," said Tonks. "But the reason I brought you here is to tell you how Caleb reacted one time. He was so turned on and ashamed that he couldn't even talk about it. I never had time to explore that fantasy with him. I think you know who we saw."

"Oh," said Ruella. She sat down on the ledge. "Oh. No, that can't be right. He couldn't think about me that way."

"No more than you could think about him? He loves you, Ru. Of course he's hidden away these extra feelings. Honestly, were you actually planning to tell him?"

"I wanted to," she said. "I almost did last night, when Dad was out. And then I couldn't."

"Yeah," said Tonks. "And I figured it wasn't going to happen. So I thought maybe I would give you a push, and maybe I'd do the same with Caleb."

"You can't tell him!" she said. "Not – not unless you know for sure. Maybe he was just freaked out by seeing his little sister."

Tonks shook her head. "I'm pretty sure it was more than that. But maybe we can arrange something. People are starting to come back from break, and the showers will be busy enough soon to suggest this to Caleb. Maybe we can spring you on him."

"I don't know," said Ruella.

"It's up to you," she said. "I'll just let you know when."


	24. Chapter 24

* * * Chapter 24 * * *

Tomoko found them at breakfast the next morning.

"Hey Caleb. Nice to see you up." 

Tonks' roommate leaned down to give him a big hug, and incidentally a look down her nightshirt. Tonks tried not to smile. 

Caleb recovered fast enough from his embarrassment. Tonks felt a pang as she watched him smile and talk with Tomoko. He'd come out of his shell so much in the last few months. It was so terribly unfair he didn't have more time to enjoy it. 

"You're pretty popular, aren't you," Alex said when she moved on. "I'm glad you got settled here."

"Everyone likes Caleb," said Ruella. "Well, all the Hufflepuffs. I think the Ravenclaw Seeker is still annoyed at him for that nasty Bludger strike a few games back. I'm so glad we moved here, Daddy."

"Me, too," said Caleb, looking at Tonks. "It was better than I could have hoped."

They had an awkward negotiation over Caleb's time for the day, after which Tonks found herself walking out with Caleb.

"Well," she said as they left the hall. "What should we do for the morning."

In response Caleb roughly pushed her against the wall, half-lifting her as he kissed her furiously. Her crotch ground against his massive erection and she sighed.

"I had a wet dream last night," he whispered. "Snape's potions, I guess. Pretty damn awkward with Ruella and my dad in the room, though I don't think I woke them. Tonks, I need you badly."

"I know just the place," said Tonks.

"Oh," Caleb said as they approached. "I haven't been here since –"

"I figured," she said. "So let's make some new memories."

There was some noise from the Slytherin end, so they shuffled over. Tonks was already pulling her clothes off.

It took a minute to figure out what was going on. Justine was there, bent over and getting fucked by – something. It was glowing, ghostly, and it had tentacles. 

"That is the screwiest Patronus I've ever seen," said Caleb, and they started giggling. But it was compelling to watch. Justine had long, incredibly light hair, like many of the Malfoys. Her breasts bounced and she grunted as the tentacled thing practically lifted her by the pussy. Her muscles flexed as she strained her arms against the tentacles holding them over her head. But there was no doubt she was enjoying herself immensely.

Tonks felt a finger test her cleft. Of course she was dripping wet.

"Who do you want?" she whispered to him.

"You. Whoever that is right now," said Caleb. "It's always you. You're the sexiest woman in the universe."

He sat on his stool behind her and she lowered herself onto his dick. When the tip touched her, she *pushed* slightly, until she had Tomoko just right. But no, she could do more than just change those parts. She *knew* Tomoko's body, and she liked it. A few seconds later she shook her head, enjoying the way the straight black hair brushed her darker shoulders.

"Shit," said Caleb. "I – oh, Merlin." With a grunt he entered her, pulling her against him as his dick slid ever deeper. When he bottomed out Tonks began to tilt her hips gently. Tomoko would love this so much. She took his hand and rested it on Tomoko's tits, and he began to fondle her as she fucked him.

Tomoko had a slightly easier time with his dick than Tonks' usual body, but she wasn't Kat. Still, Tonks had a suspicion.

"Put it in her ass," she said. "I know she wants it."

"Tonks, I – sorry. I know you caught me looking at her this morning."

"Caleb, you think that was by accident? She all but told me she wants to fuck you. So get in her butt already."

Once they got themselves re-positioned, Tonks knew she'd gotten it right. It was just like the other day. Tomoko's ass was tight and her roommate's body hummed with the amazing sense of fullness.

In the shower, Justine began to have a noisy orgasm. Tonks touched herself and *pushed* and soon got herself there as well. They had a good privacy spell up, so she let out her own bellows of pleasure. It sounded incredibly obscene in Tomoko's voice, and Caleb seemed to agree.

"Tomoko, I'm coming, oh Merlin!" 

He made a strangled sound and then pumped a few powerful blasts into her before shuddering to a halt.

"Tonks," he said after a while. "Sorry. I got caught up. I don't know why I called out her name."

"Because I looked just like her, and we were in the middle of an insanely hot fantasy?" Tonks said. "Don't apologize. If you need to make it up, you can do some magic with your mouth."

Tonks kept Tomoko's body. She was having way too much fun not to.

"No, Caleb, a little gentler. There. That's just how she got me to do it."

Caleb froze. Tonks gently pulled him harder against her.

"We didn't know if you'd wake up. And I had done something really unpleasant back in America, something that took more out of me than I realized. She's a wonderful person. Oh, there. Now put your fingers in me."

When she recovered from her orgasm she pulled him onto the bench with her. She started to stroke him lazily.

"What happened, Tonks? What did you do, trying to save me?"

She didn't want to tell him this story. But he was insistent, and she wasn't going to lie. His dick twitched when she touched on the intimacy she'd had with Ruella. She took a break and put him in her mouth.

He came explosively, much faster than she'd expected. She sighed happily as she finished licking him clean.

Caleb looked nervous, but he didn't say anything. So Tonks hugged him and continued her story.

"I had to impersonate Bellatrix," she finally said. "I had to put on her body completely if I was going to fool the Auror. And it turns out her body remembers what it's like to be her. I've never been more scared of myself, of my own power. She's so horrible, Caleb."

To her shock, she realized Caleb was trembling. He held her painfully tight.

"Stay away from her," he said. "You and Ruella. Promise you won't ever get near her. Oh, Merlin, I wish you hadn't had to go through that."

"Caleb," Tonks said slowly. "Do you know something about Bellatrix?"

He was silent a long time.

"Nothing I haven't told Dumbledore," he said. "Tonks, she's going to get out somehow. And something happened to her in prison: if she wasn't insane already, she is now. Every time I've glimpsed her she's laughing, surrounded by pain and dead bodies. I told you the truth when I said I've never seen you in my visions, but I've seen so many horrible things. And I know you. You're going to fight, just like my mother. Just like Ruella will. It's terrifying, and I can't do a fucking thing about it any more."

"You never could," said Tonks with more anger than she'd expected. "My choices are my own, Caleb. Just as your mother's were. You can try to shove the entire world to make us safer and it will never be enough. You thought you deserved punishment for failing her? Well, you've gotten it now. Just don't expect the rest of us to think that's fair."

This wasn't right. She shouldn't be fighting with Caleb. Why was she so fucking angry? She took his hand and tried to wipe away her tears.

"I'm so sorry," Caleb finally said. "I never should have pushed you away. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me, Tonks."

She kissed him. "Apology accepted. Let's get cleaned up and proper for your family. Wouldn't want anyone to think we were fucking all morning."

"They're not stupid," said Caleb with half a smile. "Not that it's any of their business. But I suppose we should maintain the pretense."

On their way to the dining hall they got an unexpected surprise.

"Kat!" Tonks called as they turned the corner. She saw Caleb and came jogging over, nearly knocking him sideways as she crushed him in a hug. She kissed him on the neck, then looked slightly embarrassed, so Tonks came over and wrapped her arms around them both. Kat stroked her on the head and hugged her back. 

She looked at Caleb with such hopeful eyes that it almost broke Tonks' heart. Caleb stepped in without apparent trouble.

"Glad you're back," he said in his gentle voice. "I wish I had better news. I feel pretty good but I've only got another week or two of that. There's nothing else anyone can do."

"Oh," said Kat, blinking. She squeezed them once more and pulled away. She was starting to cry. "Oh, fuck. Sorry, Caleb, this is the last thing you need. I – just tell me if there's anything I can do. The team was talking about a little party when you felt better."

Caleb looked uncomfortable.

"We'll let you know," said Tonks. "Thank you for everything."

Caleb was stopped a few more times as they made their way into the dining hall. Tonks took the opportunity to find Ruella to talk in private.

"What's up?" Ruella asked.

"So, there's Quidditch practice tomorrow afternoon," Tonks said. "I thought it would be nice for Caleb to watch. And then, well, most of the team showers afterwards. It might be a good time for what we talked about."

"Oh," said Ruella uncomfortably. "Ah, I'm sure we can arrange so you have time together then."

Tonks gave her a hug and then whispered in her ear. "He's ridiculously horny. Something about the potions he's taking. He has close to a permanent erection. He said he had a wet dream last night when you were in the room."

Ruella coughed and turned a bit red.

"Thanks a lot," she said. "Now I'm going to be thinking about that all day."

"Good," said Tonks, ruffling her hair.

* * *

Alexa dived suddenly, red hair streaming behind her. When she turned rightside-up, she had the Snitch in her left hand. There was good-natured cheering from both sides of the practice scrimmage.

"This is great, Tonks," said Caleb. "I love watching them play. I thought it would be bittersweet, but it's – well, you know, life is going on. It's what I needed."

Kat came over during a break to say hello. She was dirty, glowing with sweat, her uniform stretching mesmerizingly around her breasts. Tonks thought she was as gorgeous as she'd ever looked.

"You look great," Caleb said. "Uh, I mean, everyone looks great. The team. Aaron's coming along really well, but you should tell him to keep his broom more square, or else –"

"He'll wrench his shoulder if he hits too hard," Kat finished. "Yeah. He's green, but we all were once, weren't we?"

"Yeah," said Caleb. He looked at her with an uncomfortable mix of emotions.

"I'm going to go hit the bathroom," said Tonks. Kat smiled gratefully as Tonks left the two of them to talk.

When she returned, Kat was already gone, having gone back to Captain at the rest of the team before they started practice again.

"She does look good, doesn't she?" Tonks asked.

Caleb didn't disagree.

"I'm pretty horny," she said softly. "Want to go work it off somewhere with a good view?"

Caleb swallowed and nodded. She took his hand and they headed off.

The showers were quiet when they arrived, but they both knew the team would filter in soon enough. Caleb was tired again, so she had him sit while she worked on his dick. She was getting better at taking him in her mouth, and maybe someday – she coughed and had to wipe away a tear.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to thrust so hard," Caleb said, gently cradling her cheek.

"It's not that," said Tonks. "Can I sit on your lap?"

"That sounds wonderful," said Caleb. She stood up and pulled off the rest of her clothes, and Caleb got his pants all the way off. He hesitated a minute, and then to her surprised he pulled off his shirt as well. Tonks stroked his cheek and kissed him, then climbed on. Caleb groaned happily when she sank all the way down onto his immense cock. She really owed Kat for giving her a way to do this.

But he was still tense. She knew how difficult it still was to let her see his injuries. She hugged him tight and stroked his back, covering his neck with kisses.

"Mmm," said Caleb, holding her tight. His scars glowed softly in the dark, and they had that horrible way of pulsing. Tonks had to work to avoid syncing her movements with it. She tasted bile in her throat and tried to think of anything else. His sighs. His cock driving into her.

The Quidditch team came to the rescue. Caleb turned slightly so that Tonks could watch as well. They caught a few glimpses of near-naked teammates walking by, obviously comfortable with each other and happily exhausted by practice. To their delight, Alexa chose one of the stalls in front of them.

"You want me to?" she asked. Caleb nodded and fastened his lips on her nipple, nibbling gently.

She was getting better at this all the time. Alexa's red hair, freckled skin, fiery bush – she wished she could get all the inside parts as well, but of course she hadn't been intimate with Alexa. Not that she hadn't fantasized about it.

When her breasts finished changing, Caleb began to bite down, the way Alexa liked it. Tonks shivered and started to fuck him harder. Suddenly her breath caught and her pussy contracted powerfully. She screamed into his scarred shoulder as she rode her orgasm, trying to drive him ever deeper inside.

He was kissing her. Oh, Merlin, his cock felt good. Tonks shuddered and came back to awareness.

"You want a break?" he asked.

Alexa had finished her shower at some point. Tonks felt good, really good. And Caleb obviously wanted more.

"Nah," she said. "Let me turn around, though. I was getting a stiff neck trying to watch."

She pulled most of the way off him and turned, the head of his dick still inside her. This all felt so perfectly right. Gently she sat back down on him, angling her hips right until she could take his whole length.

"I love you so much," said Caleb. He was breathing hard, obviously enjoying this position.

There was movement outside the shower, and they both looked up. A little thrill ran through Tonks: it was Ruella, of course. She was wearing only underwear.

"Tonks! No, we can't."

But Ruella was already removing her underwear, and Tonks felt the way his cock throbbed inside her.

"It's OK, Caleb," she said. "She's beautiful. We both love her."

Caleb made some little strangled noise, but he didn't stop pumping himself inside her. She reached back and stroked his chin.

It was subtle, but to Tonks it was obvious that Ruella was showing off. She faced them more often than not, spending plenty of time soaping up her curly bush.

"Can I?" she asked softly. Caleb didn't say anything, so she borrowed Ruella's black hair and then her tiny tits. Caleb moaned when she placed his hand on one.

"No more," he said desperately, his dick pounding into her. And then he pressed his face into her back, whimpering as his body tensed and his dick exploded inside her, a truly massive amount of semen filling her.

He was shaking his head and sniffling. Tonks felt suddenly guilty. Had she pushed him too far? She got off, cum dribbling down her thighs, and then turned and settled back on his dick, wrapping her arms around him. His erection was still hard, and she rocked on him gently, manipulating her clit in rhythm with the motion.

"She wants you," Tonks whispered. "She's just too scared to ask. Same as you."

"It isn't right," he said. But she heard his lack of conviction.

"Yes it is," she said. "I can't think of anything more right. You're not going to hurt her, Caleb."

He sighed and didn't reply directly, stroking her back as she built her own pleasure. When she was getting close, he leaned her back against his powerful arm, his dick pressing deliciously against her. And then he fastened his lips onto one of Ruella's breasts, holding it entirely in his mouth as he sucked, his tongue teasing her fat nipple.

"Oh, fuck," said Tonks as her orgasm overtook her. She knew she was making a lot of noise, but it should be muffled well enough.

When it finally finished she collapsed against him. His dick was even harder than before.

"I love you so much," he told her, kissing the top of her head.

"You too," she said. "Want to try another position?"

He sighed. "Don't pay attention to my dick," he said. "It's the potion, I guess. I'm actually exhausted."

"Hard not to pay attention," she said with a laugh. He smiled and kissed her.

"She really told you she wanted to – do that?"

"Yeah," Tonks said. "And to be honest when we were intimate together, it was you she really wanted to be with."

"Oh," he said. His dick twitched slightly inside her and he groaned when she started to fuck him again. But he hadn't been lying about his exhaustion. Tonks couldn't wait to tell Ruella the news.


	25. Chapter 25

* * * Chapter 25 * * *

The bad news came the next afternoon.

"I'm sorry," said Pomfrey. 

"It's not fair," hissed Ruella. Tonks couldn't look at any of them. A week at most. It was never going to be enough time, but they'd all expected longer.

"Of course it's not fair," Alex said bitterly. "It's a mistake to ever expect that of this shitty universe." 

He coughed something halfway to a sob, and then bolted out of the room.

"I'll find him," said Caleb. "I know where he went."

The three of them watched as he walked out more slowly.

"C'mon," said Tonks, taking Ruella's arm. "Let's give them time together. We've got a party to get prepared for."

Ruella numbly followed her out.

The Quidditch team had hastily put together the little celebration for Caleb – a more intimate get-together than their typical one. They'd gotten permission to use the Quiet Garden, and Tonks had helped with the decoration. In truth she'd shown off a little, and the others hadn't even seen everything yet.

Tonks led them to Ruella's room, attempting the kind of cheery chatter that Tomoko was so good at. She could tell she was flailing. Ruella's roommates were away, so Tonks went over to Ruella's wardrobe.

"You should wear that blue dress again," said Tonks. "I mean, unless you like something else better. And some fun underwear. Because who knows, right? What do you have in here?"

"Tonks," Ruella said. "Please stop. I can't."

"Can't what?" Tonks said desperately. "Please, Ruella, you have to come to the party."

"He's going to die," Ruella said dully. "I thought I'd come to terms with it."

"So are we all," said Tonks. "For Merlin's sake, let's try to give him a fun party at least." She could hear how pathetic she sounded.

"How can you do it?" Ruella asked. "I can barely stand to be in the same room with him. I don't think my underwear really matters, in any case. You should have fun with him. I'm not the kind of company he needs."

Tonks sighed and sat on her friend's bed.

"I've been having fun with him," she said. "And I've been crying with him, and trying to hide it. Anyway, I hardly want to monopolize his time. Come to the party, at least."

"I'll try," she said. "But I need some time alone, Tonks."

Tonks nodded and then kissed Ruella on the cheek before heading out.

When Tonks opened the door, Tomoko was mostly undressed. She gave a little smile, then pulled off her underwear. But her expression changed quickly. In a few seconds Tonks was crying in Tomoko's arms. And then kissing her, passionately, even as her tears flowed.

Tonks pulled away suddenly. "Oh, Merlin, why am I doing this? I'm all screwed up."

"It's OK," said Tomoko. "It was nice."

Tonks sat on her bed, and Tomoko sat next to her.

"He's got a few days," she said. "Maybe a week."

Tomoko stroked her hair.

"How can we do this? The party? I don't want him to see me like this."

"He knows how upset we all are," said Tomoko. "Everyone knows. It's still a good idea."

"And why the fuck am I horny? All I want is to fuck right now. I feel like a selfish freak."

Tomoko kissed her on the lips.

"Joy, grief, sex, all that stuff touches, right?" her roommate said. "Sex sure as hell seems like a better way to process grief than some other ones."

Tonks nodded slowly. Maybe she could even convince Ruella of that. She should just go and get herself off, then come back and get dressed and have a good time. Or –

She kicked off her shoes and stood up. Off came her robe, and then she reached under her skirt to pull down her underwear. She sat back on the bed and hiked her skirt back up, heart pounding.

Tomoko looked down at her, then back at her face.

"Please," Tonks said. Tomoko smiled and gave her another kiss, and then her roommate knelt between her legs.

"Wait," Tomoko said. "You're not going to hurl me into the wall again, are you?"

Tonks started to giggle despite herself.

"Uh, I don't think so. I'll try to warn you in advance."

"I guess I'll take the risk, then," said Tomoko, and suddenly her tongue was caressing Tonks' clit.

"Holy fuck," said Tonks. She hadn't had time to think of anything else, so it was all her boringly familiar genitals down there. But Tomoko was doing something new, something that Caleb hadn't exactly worked out.

Tomoko took Tonks' engorged clit in her mouth and sucked, and Tonks nearly passed out in pleasure.

"You have a gorgeous clit," said Tomoko, taking a quick break to slip a finger inside Tonks. "I wish I had one like yours."

"Yours is pretty wonderful too," said Tonks, and then she was lost in pleasure again.

Tomoko seemed to understand that Tonks needed a release quickly, and in very little time she was struggling and grunting. 

"Tomoko," she whispered, and just in time she got a crude, powerful silencing field in place. She screamed as the first orgasm rolled over her, and then before it was even finished she was pinned by a monstrously powerful second climax.

Tomoko gently withdrew her tongue and finger and put her arms around Tonks' midsection. After a few seconds she heard her roommate's startled exclamation, and Tonks opened her eyes.

Above their heads swirled an intricate pattern of roses, stems woven together and the whole thing slowly rotating. It disappeared after a few seconds.

"Did you do that?" Tomoko asked.

"I must have," said Tonks, smiling slightly. "Though I can't remember that ever happening."

"I've never even heard of anything like that. Tonks, it was beautiful! I couldn't make something like that even if I tried."

"You're good at other things, though. Uh, really, really, really great. Has anyone ever told you that?"

Tomoko actually seemed to blush for once. "I like doing that," she said. "But you definitely know how to make a girl feel appreciated."

"Well," said Tonks. "I could find other ways to show it …"

"Oh, I'm thinking about that," said Tomoko. "But we're kind of running short of time, aren't we? Maybe you could send some of that Caleb's way later."

Tonks smiled. "Yeah, maybe. Merlin, I feel better."

The two of them quickly got up to get themselves properly dressed. Just as they were about to leave, Tonks gave Tomoko a hug.

"Thanks again," she said. "Oh, and can I ask a personal question?"

"Sure," said Tomoko.

"Do you like sucking dicks that much too?"

Tomoko started to laugh. "Uh, guilty," she said. "Any reason?"

"Oh, no reason," said Tonks with a smile.

* * *

Kat had picked out some of her favorite music, and they could already hear it even before they went in the garden. It wasn't exactly Tonks' taste, but you couldn't say it wasn't upbeat.

The garden was dimly lit by fading sunlight and the colored lanterns that Tonks had helped position amongst the trees. Along one wall his teammates had put together a little display of some of their favorite recorded bits of Caleb's Bludger-bashing. Tonks winced as she watched Caleb repeatedly smash Charlie Weasley off his broom.

She kept catching Tomoko staring at her. She'd worn the infamous dress from the first dance together. And just for the hell of it, she'd made her boobs a tiny bit bigger than they'd been the first time.

"Oh, almost forgot!" she said. She took out her wand and activated the last charm she'd prepared. 

The glass roof of the garden grew darker and a vast panorama of stars emerged, rotating just perceptibly. Tomoko stared at the sky. Among the myriad stars were two large patches of diffuse light with the hint of millions of stars they contained. Billions.

"What is this?" Tomoko asked in awe. "That's not our sky. Is this the southern sky? Or did you make it all up?"

Tonks smiled. "It's real," she said. "I'm not sure why I know that, but it's all real. Even the rotation is right. It's some alien planet that's spinning a lot faster."

Tomoko shook her head in amazement and then wandered off to get some food.

"I doubt most of them understand what a tour de force you pulled off," said Kat from behind her. "But some of us do. I think you might have blown your cover, Tonks. McGonagall would have an orgasm if she saw this."

Tonks giggled. "I think she already guesses what I can do. That's why she's always giving me those dour looks in class."

"She gives everyone those looks," said Kat. "I hope you don't think it's personal."

She suddenly felt Caleb's solid presence beside her. Even now he was so good at sneaking up.

"I guess it's just as well I'd already failed out of Transfiguration when I transferred here," he said.

Tonks reached out to hug him, and Kat politely turned to give them space. But Tonks pulled her into the hug as well. Soon she was pleasantly crushed against the two big athletes.

"Thanks for organizing the party," said Tonks. "Now, where's the food?"

She hadn't meant for it to be funny, but the other two couldn't stop laughing at her. She made a rude gesture at them and followed her nose.

When she'd gotten herself pleasantly stuffed, she wandered back towards the music. People had started to dance to it, not that it seemed particularly designed for that. She smiled when she saw Tomoko haul Caleb out onto the floor into an awkward and happy group of younger Quidditch players.

Kat sidled up next to Tonks. 

"So," she said softly. "This is really a rude question. But after seeing the way you Transfigured the roof, I can't stop wondering, well – oh, Merlin, never mind. It doesn't matter."

Tonks took Kat's hand and smiled at her.

"Go ahead. I don't mind."

Kat shook her head. "The thing is, I've tried to – oh, hell. How did you do that to your bosom? Can you actually keep it that way a long time? The best I could ever do was a half hour, nowhere near enough for a game, and it took so much concentration …"

Tonks started to laugh uncontrollably. Kat turned red and started to babble nervously.

"I'm so sorry! It's only because now I'm sure it isn't some trick of your clothes. And you look amazing, but I mean, you always look amazing, and –"

Tonks shook her head. "No, Kat, it's fine. It's a little too complicated to explain right now, but I'll tell you later. It's just funny because the reason I did it the first time is I wished I had boobs a little more like yours. And from what you just said I guess you wish yours were –"

"Not so fucking huge," she said, giggling. "You would not believe how annoying it is when you're on the field."

Tonks hugged her. "Never appreciate what we have, do we?" All of a sudden they were both crying.

Tonks pulled away, wiping her tears and stuttering an apology.

"I've just got to keep moving," she said. "Going to go dance."

"Yeah," sniffled Kat. "I guess I'll try stuffing my face the way you always do.

"Can't hurt," agreed Tonks.

She joined the others in dancing, and managed to give Caleb a good kiss to some general cheers. After a while she caught a flash of familiar color, and to her delight she saw that Ruella had managed to get herself there. She looked just as striking as the last time. She was keeping a careful distance from Caleb, though.

The music settled into a more mellow pace, and Tonks found herself dancing close with Caleb, her arms around his waist.

"How you holding up?" she asked him.

"Good," he said. "Better than I feel like I should be. This is perfect, Tonks. Thank you so much for helping get it together."

"Everyone here loves you," she said. "Probably everyone else does too, but they just don't know it yet."

Caleb laughed. "How about you, then?"

"I'm getting by," said Tonks. "This is nice. Ruella's pretty upset, though. Maybe you could have a dance with her later, when she's less nervous."

"Yeah," said Caleb. "If you think that's a good idea, I mean."

"Of course it's a good idea," said Tonks, shaking her head. "And you should dance with all these other beautiful women, too. Have fun with yourself. Merlin knows I'm not the jealous type."

Caleb kissed her, and they wheeled apart as the song ended.

Some time later Tonks found herself dancing with Peter, a fifth-year backbencher who had hopes of eventually becoming a Seeker. He was slightly shorter than Tonks, and he was doing a terrible job of pretending he wasn't staring at her cleavage. She found it incredibly cute and did her part by pretending not to notice. And maybe she arched her back, just a little more.

Tonks was pleasantly surprised when she looked over to see Tomoko dancing with Caleb. And she could tell Caleb was smitten. Tomoko certainly looked as sexy as ever, and had on an outfit more daring than anything Tonks could imagine herself wearing. She hoped the potion wasn't giving him any extra discomfort. Then she smiled. No, in truth she hoped he was fighting with an epic erection. 

She politely thanked Peter after the dance and headed to get some more food. And maybe a drink. She was having some truly devious thoughts that would take some guts to act on.

Tomoko joined her at the food.

"He's a really good dancer," Tomoko said. "And so gentle."

"Yeah," Tonks said. "You know he totally has a crush on you?"

"Really?" Tomoko said, looking back before reaching to fill a cup of punch for herself.

"Mmm," said Tonks. "Hey, you remember that time, when mentioned something about the way you'd like to go out? Friends, every possible combination, that kind of thing?"

Tomoko coughed on her drink and stared at Tonks.

"Are you serious?" she asked. 

"Maybe," said Tonks.

Tomoko took a deep gulp of her punch.

"Count me in, then," she said.

Tonks kissed her quickly on the cheek and grabbed some punch for Caleb.

He was talking to Kat. Ruella was off dancing with someone else, though she kept glancing their direction.

"Here," she said, passing it to Caleb. 

"I don't know if I'm supposed to drink, with the other stuff I'm on," he said.

"What's the worst it'll do? Kill you?" Tonks said.

Kat stared at her, and Tonks put her hand to her mouth. Surely she wasn't drunk? No, just stupid.

Caleb started laughing, an easy, warm sound that loosened something in her. She found she was laughing as well, though she wasn't so sure the tears were from that.

Caleb drank his punch and gave her a hug. "Kat asked me to dance. Can we have the next one?"

"Of course, sweetie," she said, and she watched them for a while. They were so comfortable together. Kat was an older and closer friend to him than anyone else here. She was actually planning something, wasn't she? Maybe tomorrow. She had to talk to Ruella.

"Hey, Ru," she said. "Glad you came."

Ruella's eyes were a little red, but she managed a smile. 

"Me too," she said. "Caleb looks so happy. Who knew he had so many friends? Ugh, that sounded mean. Sorry, I'm pretty upset."

"We all are," said Tonks. "Even Caleb, though he's pretending he doesn't have a care left in the world."

"Yeah," said Ruella. "Typical."

"You should have a dance with him," said Tonks. "He misses you. And I don't think he's forgotten –"

"Merlin, I certainly haven't," said Ruella. "I feel like an idiot. Couldn't have had worse timing, could I?"

"It's always the wrong time," said Tonks. "Anyway, it's what he has. You don't have to do anything about it. But after all it is something he's still able to enjoy, and you love each other, so -"

"Fine, fine," said Ruella. "I'll try to talk to him. I don't even know what I want, though."

The song ended, and Ruella walked towards him, hands clenched nervously at her side.

Tonks relaxed. They were talking. And dancing. She'd been terrified that she'd pushed both of them in the wrong direction.

But then just before the song ended, Ruella broke away from Caleb, wiping her eyes and walking quickly towards the exit. Tonks hurried to catch her.

"I just can't deal with it any more right now," said Ruella. "Could you promise me you'll make sure he has a fun rest of the night?"

"OK," said Tonks. "Get a good night's sleep. I love you, Ru. We both do."

"I know," she said, shakily running her hand through her hair. "I need to go set something on fire right now."

Tonks watched her go. Probably she'd been joking. If not, she'd probably put it out.

Caleb didn't look so great. He'd found a chair to sit in by the wall.

"I think I fucked that up pretty badly," he said.

"It's all right," she said. "Ruella will be better tomorrow."

"I don't have much time," he said, his voice cracking. He looked away from her.

"You're allowed to be upset," Tonks said, hugging him. "Merlin knows we all are."

He leaned against her and for a while they just watched the more energetic folks on the floor. Tomoko was doing a fairly hilarious job trying to teach Kat a dance move that Tonks was pretty sure Tomoko couldn't do either.

"Do you want to head out?" Tonks asked, gently stroking his neck. The implication unspoken.

"Yeah," said Caleb. "That sounds good."

"Let me go tell Tomoko we're escaping," she said.

When she came back she took Caleb's hand. He grunted a little as he rose, though he tried to hide the pain.

She led them back to the Hufflepuff common room.

"Wait," he said. "I thought maybe –"

"Ssh," she said. "You thought correctly." She cast a careful privacy spell around them. She'd been working hard to copy Ruella's craft, though the younger witch was still vastly more practiced at it.

There was only one other student, sleeping in a couch across the room. She walked them right up to the girls' stairs.

"The alarms," he said softly.

Tonks tried not to laugh. She pulled out her wand and did an intricate set of incantations.

"All right, for the next thirty seconds the wards think you're a girl. An incredibly well-endowed girl."

Caleb smiled slightly and followed her in. She pushed open her door and closed it firmly behind her, setting some strong privacy wards. 

"How do you like it?" she asked in a more normal voice.

"A little disappointing," he said. "Pretty much like the guy's side. Though –"

He stared at Tomoko's bed, which was strewn with dresses and underwear she'd rejected for tonight.

"Yeah, it's pretty naughty, isn't it? So, you want to help me pop out these boobs that you kept staring at?"

Caleb paused.

"What about your roommates?"

"Berella spends every night with Charlie these days. Oh, don't tell anyone. Somehow they've managed to keep it a secret."

Caleb smiled. "But Tomoko?"

"Oh, I arranged it with her," she said easily. "Hell, she told us to use her bed if we wanted."

Caleb swallowed and glanced over again.

"Uh, I assume she was joking," he said. 

"Who knows with her?" she said, sitting on her own bed. "Now come on over and make love to me."

Caleb came over and knelt in front of her. Gently he started to kiss her neck, trailing down to the top of her bosom. Tonks sighed happily.

"I wasn't the only one admiring you tonight," he said.

"Well, for that matter I noticed you and Kat dancing rather close," she teased.

"That was –"

"It was hot," she said. "You guys look great together."

Caleb sighed and carefully started to undo the back of her dress. It was easier to just pull the whole thing off, and then she got distracted and had to pull down his trousers. Soon she was lying back while he kissed her passionately, his cock bulging in his underwear against her.

"I love you so much, Caleb."

"You're the best thing that ever happened to me, Tonks."

"Damn, that feels amazing," she said, and he grunted agreement. She *pushed* and felt her insides change just so, to Kat's familiar feel. She wanted to take him all.

Her roommate's timing was perfect. Caleb was kneeling and utterly absorbed in her breasts when she saw the knob turn silently. To her delight, Kat was with her. She hadn't been sure how the other girl would respond.

Belatedly Caleb's sixth sense picked up on something, and he started back, half-turning.

"That is the hottest thing I've ever seen," said Tomoko softly. "Don't stop on our account."

Caleb was frozen. Tonks sat up and kissed him.

"I invited them," she said. "I know it was a little presumptuous, but –"

"But of course we jumped at the chance," said Tomoko. Kat looked significantly more nervous.

"Here, does this help?" Tomoko asked. She whispered and tapped the back of her dress, and her boobs sprang free. Caleb couldn't help but stare. Tonks didn't bother hiding her appreciation.

"What – what exactly -" Caleb stuttered.

"Whatever you feel like," said Tonks. "This is meant to be fun. If turns out it's stressful, well, it's like any of the other mistakes we've made, right? But I think it could be incredibly fun. You want them to leave?"

Tomoko idly ran her fingers over a brown nipple, shivering as it stiffened. Kat shifted nervously. She looked at Tonks, who smiled reassuringly back at her.

"No," he said. "No, you can stay. I'm just a little overwhelmed. I've never done anything like this."

"You think we have?" Tomoko asked. "Maybe I talk a good game, but no. Anyway, is it OK if I take off some more clothes?"

Caleb nodded, swallowing nervously. He jerked slightly when Tonks reached down to stroke his cock through his underwear.

Tomoko was down to her panties when she realized Kat was still standing there, seemingly frozen.

"Hey," said Tomoko to the room. "Maybe we can sit and watch for a little?"

"We'll pretend you're not there," said Tonks. Her roommate smiled and took Kat's hand, and the two of them sat on the bed together. Tomoko whispered something in Kat's ear, and Kat shook her head slowly. 

Caleb was leaning his head on her chest and breathing hard. She hoped it was just nerves. He got tired so easily now.

"Sweetie, why don't we switch positions," she said. "Might as well give them a show, right?"

Just before he sat on the edge of the bed, she expertly pulled down his underwear.

"Holy shit, that's huge," said Tomoko. Kat giggled softly.

Gently Tonks began to stroke him, and then she leaned over to run her tongue lightly all the way down his length, then back up again. Caleb sighed and stroked her neck.

Tonks shifted slightly to let the others get a better view as she took the head of his dick in her mouth. Suddenly she was nervous. She was much less experienced that both of the other girls. Given the way Tomoko used her tongue on Tonks, she suspected there was a lot of technique she didn't know anything about. But Caleb was making his usual appreciative noises. Trying to overcome her nervousness, she started to work on herself. *push*, relax. Her clit pulsed deliciously, and she prepared herself to take Caleb's dick.

She heard some rustling behind her, and suddenly Caleb moaned, his dick twitching slightly.

Tonks let the massive cock pop out of her mouth and glanced back. Tomoko had finished undressing, and had spread her legs wide to start masturbating. One leg rested against Kat, who didn't seem to mind, her gaze alternating between Tomoko and the scene in front of her.

"I can't believe I'm actually doing this," muttered Kat, and then she pulled off her shirt and undid the clasp of her bra to expose her spectacular, massive breasts.

"Fucking hell, Kat," said Tomoko. "You are so ridiculously hot." In the brief quiet, they could all hear the squelching noises her fingers were making.

Caleb's hand gripped Tonks' hair, gently pulling her up. She knew what he wanted. She stood up and turned around. Caleb's hand pulled at her waistband, and she helped him out a bit. Kat stared at her and bit her lip.

She felt Caleb's dick against her ass. Carefully she leaned back, gripping the meaty base and angling him just right. She was nervous, but she was wet enough, and Kat's pussy was quivering in anticipation. Carefully she pressed herself onto him, feeling the great stretch, the little pop when the head entered her, and then the incomparable way he slowly filled her as she sank down.

"Oh," said Kat. Her eyes had gone wide, her breathing faster. One of her hands rested on Tomoko's thigh, though Kat didn't seem to realize.

Tomoko was jamming two, then three fingers inside herself, and she was equally transfixed. Tonks levered herself mostly up, then drove down onto Caleb's cock. Again, again, and soon they had a steady rhythm going. Her boobs were bouncing enough that she had to hold them with one arm.

Kat giggled. "It's so weird to see you with big boobs like that," she said.

"What? What do you mean," Tomoko said, confusion breaking into her haze of arousal.

"Oh, sorry, Tonks," said Kat, turning red.

"It's OK," grunted Tonks. She wanted to tell them. But even now, it was so difficult to let go of her secrets. Anyway, this was Caleb's time, not hers. "I'll explain later," she said weakly.

Tomoko looked at Tonks, then back at Kat. She started to smile, whispering something in Kat's ear. Kat turned even redder, shaking her head, and Tomoko laughed lightly, patting Kat on the shoulder.

Tonks felt Caleb's increasing urgency. But she was too nervous to even use her magic to play with her clit. Maybe she could masturbate in front of them. Or maybe she should focus on Caleb.

"Kat, Tomoko," she said hesitantly, "If you feel like it, I think Caleb would love it if you came closer."

Caleb grunted his agreement and she reached back to stroke his head.

"Could you turn around?" he whispered to her.

When she stopped to get off of him, Kat made her decision, standing up and walking towards them. Tomoko had been waiting for Kat, and she quickly followed.

Before Tonks turned around, she reached out her arms to the two of them. It was a strange feeling to have all that naked flesh against her. A good feeling. She gave a quick kiss to each of them and then turned to Caleb.

His dick stood up majestically, and he was breathing hard as he watched the three of them.

"Why don't you lie down, sweetie," she said, and he gratefully lay back on the bed. She straddled him and sighed as his dick went in, and in, and in. He pulled her forward and they kissed deeply as their bodies found the rhythm again.

Tonks jerked at the feeling of a cool hand on her ass. And then she felt the bed settle as Tomoko and Kat sat on either side of them. Both were completely naked now.

Tonks leaned back to give Caleb a better view. He blinked and flicked his eyes nervously back and forth.

"What do you want, Caleb?" she asked.

He moaned softly. 

"I … don't know," he said. "This is all so unbelievable. You're so beautiful, all of you."

"Let's decide for him, then," suggested Tomoko. She leaned over and gave Caleb a trial kiss on the lips, then moved to let him get a taste of her breasts. She shivered a bit.

"Can I sit on your face?" she asked him, though she glanced at Tonks. "I've heard amazing things about your tongue."

"What?" Tonks spluttered. "No, I never – but of course, he is amazing."

Tomoko giggled. "Well, OK, I guess I just imagined that." She was already moving to get on top of Caleb, who didn't seem at all opposed to the idea.

Kat leaned closer to her, pressing her immense breasts lightly against her side. She wrapped an arm around Tonks and stroked Caleb's leg with the other.

"I'm so nervous," she whispered in Tonks' ear. "And I'm trying so hard not to cry."

"Me too," said Tonks, turning to kiss her. "And him, too. I'm so glad you're here."

Tomoko got herself positioned, lowering her pussy to Caleb's face. She sighed happily as Caleb fastened his mouth onto her.

It was shockingly intimate, even more than when she'd made love to them separately. Tomoko was right there, sometimes making eye contact, sometimes staring down at Caleb's dick driving inside her. She leaned back a little and started to help Caleb with one hand, her finger and his tongue drawing into their own little dance. Suddenly she sucked in her breath.

"Caleb," Tomoko breathed, and she pressed herself hard against his face, her body shaking. She began to moan in that familiar way. Tonks leaned forward and kissed her on the lips, her hand finding Tomoko's breasts as her roommate whimpered and her body quaked.

Beneath her she felt Caleb buck, and as Tomoko's orgasm crested he blasted his first load inside Tonks, moaning incoherently into Tomoko's pussy. Tonks could feel her body respond, but what she really needed was to use her own magic.

When Caleb and Tomoko were finally finished, Tomoko carefully slid off of Caleb. Her juices were smeared all over his face, and he looked dazed. His dick had softened slightly, but it still felt marvelous inside Tonks. She leaned forward and kissed him deeply, making no secret of licking the taste of Tomoko off of him. She felt Kat's arms surround them both, and then the pleasant warmth of Tomoko leaning onto the pile. For a while they lay there, listening to each other breathe.

"Fucking hell," said Tomoko happily. "That was great, Caleb."

Caleb was softening a bit more, and he seemed overheated, so after a while Tonks shifted and rolled off of him. She wound up nestled between him and Kat, with Tomoko on the other side of Caleb.

Even in his semi-erect state Caleb's dick was impressive. Tomoko stroked his thighs and gently laid her hand on it. Caleb sighed happily.

"Where do you even fit that monster?" Tomoko giggled. "I've never tried anything so big."

Tonks wanted to explain. Her pussy throbbed, and she tried to *push*, but she was too nervous. 

Caleb's cock was hardening under Tomoko's gentle stroking. And then her roommate leaned over and licked the tip, causing Caleb to groan in pleasure.

Tonks was starting to shake with nervousness and frustration. Why couldn't she trust these two? Kat pressed harder against her, and then began to stroke her breasts. The breasts she'd half-borrowed from Kat.

She felt something shift and desperately *pushed*, keeping her breasts about the same. She didn't think Kat had noticed.

"What's wrong?" Kat whispered in her ear. She shook her head and watched Tomoko stretch her lips over Caleb's massive cock. He should have the night of his life. She wasn't going to ruin this with her own problems.

But Caleb looked over at her, and she saw the recognition in his eyes. He grunted again as Tomoko took a few inches of his cock inside her mouth. And then he reached for Tonks.

She kissed Caleb harder than she'd meant to. He was so solid, and in a few days he'd be gone. It couldn't be real. She started to sniffle and he gripped the back of her neck, nibbling her lip, kissing her cheek, turning her head.

"Let them in," he whispered. "They'll be here for you, Tonks. Enjoy yourself so I can enjoy myself more. And for Merlin's sake let me eat you out."

She shuddered and wiped her eyes on his shirt. Then she took a deep breath and sat up to straddle him, facing Tomoko. Her roommate was enthralled with Caleb's cock, giving him a blowjob that probably put to shame Tonks' efforts. She had no idea how Tomoko could fit that much in her mouth.

Kat was sniffling too, and she sat up to hug Tonks. Tomoko looked up and saw how upset the two of them were. She let Caleb's cock pop out of her mouth just as Caleb's tongue touched Tonks' big clit.

"Ohh," Tonks gasped, trying to let herself fall into Caleb's rhythm. He was good at this. But of course she needed more.

"Everyone – OK?" Tomoko asked weakly, looking a little ashamed.

Tonks shook her head.

"I'm going to show you guys something," she said. "And I'm incredibly nervous about it, because it's my huge secret, but I have to show you if I'm going to enjoy myself."

Caleb's tongue worked a gentle, encouraging pattern on her. She took a breath, then another breath. The other gave her encouraging smiles. Kat stroked her back, and then finally Tonks let go. She let go of all of it at once, her breasts shrinking rapidly, her hair fading to its dull brown default. Tomoko gasped in surprise, while Kat's smile faltered, replaced by confusion. 

"Wait," Kat said. "I didn't feel – what charm is that?"

Tonks shook her head, shuddering. Then she *pushed*, setting her hair an electric blue, and then her pubic hair to match, at the same time filling it out as she imagined Ruella's thick, wiry bush.

Tomoko laughed in delight, while Kat kept staring.

"This is me," she said nervously. "All these changes are things I can do with my body. A natural talent."

Kat nodded, starting to smile, and then she leaned forward to give Tonks a deep kiss.

"That's brilliant," exclaimed Tomoko. "Wait, so you changed your boobs? What else can you change?"

"Everything," Tonks said, letting her breasts grow to her favored state. "As far as I know. Big changes in mass are more difficult. And, uh, I'm pretty much restricted to borrowing from bodies I know."

Tomoko's grin grew wider. "Wicked," she breathed. "Like instant Polyjuice."

"Better, really," Tonks admitted, sucking in her breath as Caleb licked more insistently around her clit. "Everything feels totally real. Uh, from all evidence it feels very much like what it does for the person I'm borrowing from."

Tomoko shook her head. "Merlin, Tonks, I'm already thinking of a million ways I'd try that out. Hah! Please tell me you fucked around with my body."

Tonks started to grin with embarrassment. "Uh, yeah, sometimes. Parts of it."

Kat was staring at her more nervously, clearly working out the implications.

"I hope you don't mind, Kat," said Tonks finally. "You're just so beautiful, and – well, I like the way these look on me."

"I don't mind," Kat said slowly. "It's flattering, really. You should borrow whatever you like."

"OK," said Tonks slowly. "OK. So, you girls OK if I change up a little? It's kind of what I need to get off right."

"For Merlin's sake, Tonks, just do it already," Tomoko said. Then she opened her mouth wide and slowly swallowed a good two-thirds of Caleb's huge cock. Caleb moaned into Tonks' pussy, and Tonks finally let herself *push* a bit. Halfway towards Kat's exquisite sensitivity.

"Shit," she muttered, closing her eyes and shaking slightly. Back and forth, back and forth. 

A cool hand touched her cheek, and then she jerked slightly as she felt Kat's lips close on her nipple. Ripples of pleasure overlapped and Tonks began to feel the molten desire pooling in her loins, pulsing and building with each push of her magic.

Kat suddenly gasped and bit her nipple a little too hard. Tonks opened her eyes and saw that even as Tomoko worked her oral magic, she'd slipped a hand between Kat's legs. Kat hadn't exactly pulled away from the touch, but she looked uncomfortable.

"Gentle," Tonks found herself saying. "She needs the lightest touch there."

There was a pause, and then Tomoko started to giggle.

"Thanks, Tonks," said Tomoko, switching to using her hand on Caleb and moving her other hand to pat Kat gently on the hip. "Remind me to check with you before I make love to anyone new. You must be full of useful information."

"Really, it's not that many girls," Tonks said. "The more I've – well, the more closely I've known them, the better."

"Oh," said Tomoko disappointedly. "I was working up the courage to ask if you'd show off for us. Like, maybe Alexa. But she doesn't like girls, so –"

Tonks *pushed*, feeling her body grow, her thighs widen. Kat made a surprised sound and let go of Alexa's pink nipple, staring in embarrassment as Tonks' features finished adjusting to match her teammate.

"Whoa," said Kat. "Whoa. I don't – I don't know how I feel about that."

"It's just me," said Tonks in Alexa's lower voice. "God, her body feels good. But if it's confusing –"

"No, I can manage," said Kat. "Caleb, what do you want?"

"Whatever makes her feel good," he mumbled into her pussy. "Ah, and maybe Kat, you could – we could ...?"

Kat looked down at Caleb's rock-hard erection and swallowed, looking at Tonks/Alexa. Tonks relaxed and let herself most of the way back to Tonks. But she kept those amazing hips and thighs and ass. Just flexing them sent more thrills down her spine.

"This is all OK with you?" Kat asked.

"Merlin, please, I've been thinking about this as much as you have," said Tonks.

"I doubt that," mumbled Kat, looking embarrassed. Tomoko stood up and kissed Kat, and then the big Quidditch player carefully knelt on the bed, straddling Caleb. This close, Tonks could see how near she was to crying. How shaky she was.

Tomoko put her arms around Kat, kissing her between the shoulders. Kat took Caleb's dick in her hand and carefully lowered herself. She sighed when the tip pressed against her opening and slid in. Then she groaned and let herself all the way down until her ass rested on Caleb's thighs. They were beautiful together, these two powerful athletes. Caleb licked her harder, and Tonks knew her orgasm was nearly upon her.

"Shit," said Tomoko, leaning over to look. "That's so fucking hot." She stroked Kat's hair and Kat relaxed back against her, stroking her arm.

"You can touch me a little," she said to Tomoko. "It's nice. But mostly I just want to feel Caleb. Oh, fuck, you're so big."

Kat started to masturbate, her fingers brushing lightly across her tiny nub. Tomoko hesitantly brushed her hands across Kat's massive globes. And after a minute, Kat began to fuck Caleb slowly, lifting up until his dick nearly popped out, then letting her weight settle onto him again.

Tonks felt something give inside her, and she made a small noise. Caleb's tongue flicked even faster across her clit, and Tomoko moved to her side. She felt a tongue on one nipple, and then Kat leaned over to take the other, and tears streamed from her eyes as she watched her two friends working to please her even as Kat kept fucking her lover.

"Caleb," she cried, and in her head it was louder than any scream. Her senses were ripped away, and her magic surged in a brilliant white flame until the pleasure overwhelmed even that.

"Whoa," she heard Tomoko say.

Sluggishly she opened her eyes. She'd fallen back off of Caleb's face, and he was fully absorbed in Kat now. There was something falling through the air, strange cold pricks all over her body.

It was snowing. She'd accidentally conjured a tiny snowstorm. Even now it was dissipating, the perfect little flakes melting where they touched overheated skin. 

Tomoko watched her, mouth open. 

"You are the most amazing witch I've ever met," she said. Though even now her gaze kept getting distracted by their two friends. The smacking sound of flesh on flesh sped up as Kat impaled herself on Caleb's massive dick, over and over.

"So," Tonks said. "I think I owe you something. Involving my mouth."

"No, no," Tomoko said. "Wasn't it the other way around?"

"Doesn't matter," said Tonks. "Because you're the one who needs an orgasm ASAP."

"Can ... could you do it as Alexa?" Tomoko asked nervously. "Since, well, that's not going to happen." Tonks smiled, already changing her appearance.

Tomoko tasted familiar this time, her moans an earthy affirmation Tonks drank desperately. Caleb was having a blast. Tonks had friends, and life would go on. It was so clichéd, and yet it was still true. 

Caleb sucked in his breath, and Tonks knew what was coming. Kat grunted and thrust and suddenly Caleb was bucking underneath her, nearly throwing her substantial weight entirely off. Tonks stroked his chest as she ate out Tomoko next to him, and the sounds of his orgasm must have been the last straw for Tomoko. She gave a little whimper and twined her fingers through Alexa's red hair, her pussy convulsing over and over against her probing tongue.

Finally Tonks sat up, giving Tomoko a last kiss with Alexa's firm lips before hugging her roommate and letting her old face return. The changes had left her horny as hell again.

Kat was still fucking Caleb, but it was clear that Caleb's erection was softening and his energy was faltering. Finally she leaned forward and kissed him, allowing his soft dick to plop wetly out of her.

"I'm sorry," Caleb whispered. Kat shook her head, trying not to cry. "It's not that, Caleb," she said. Tonks moved to give her a hug and the big woman shuddered gently against her.

"Kat," she whispered. "Do you want me to fuck you? I can use Caleb's dick. I think he'd love that. I know I would."

Kat jerked and stared at her, then at Caleb. Something sparked in her eye.

"Really?" she asked, glancing down at Tonks' bush and then back up with embarrassment. "I – oh, Merlin. Yes, please. Can I lie down?"

Tonks pushed the larger woman over, and Kat let herself fall next to Caleb. He looked up just in time to see her dick starting to grow. His eyes widened, and he turned slightly to watch more easily. Tomoko got on the bed next to him, and she started to lick the juices off of his dick. Then she took the entire thing in her mouth, causing Caleb to moan in happy surprise. 

Kat only had eyes for Tonks' dick. When it was full-sized, Tonks leaned over the muscled woman.

"Should I change more?" she asked. Become more like Caleb. Though she loved the naughty feeling of Caleb's massive dick on her usual body. It looked so obscene, the way it jutted out of her groin. Her pussy dripped and clenched when she touched it.

"No," breathed Kat, reaching in wonder to stroke her dick. "No, you're just perfect. Merlin, it feels just the same as his. Just fuck me, Tonks."

Kat opened her thighs further, and there was nothing more natural than to slip inside her. Though it was hardly a trivial thing even for Kat. The big woman grunted as Tonks pushed deeper and deeper, until finally their groins touched. Tonks leaned forward and stretched, pressing her breasts against Kat, who moaned and then gripped Tonks hard around the ass. 

With Kat's encouragement Tonks started to stroke, luxuriating in the heat of Kat's tunnel around her shaft. Soon Kat was doing more of the work than she was, practically lifting Tonks up and then pulling her against her body. She'd never had sex like this, not even with Caleb.

Her hand brushed lower, sampling the wetness between Tonks' legs. Tentatively she slipped a finger inside Tonks and both women groaned happily.

The other two watched them avidly. Tomoko pulled her mouth off Caleb's shaft to reveal he was completely erect again, and he groaned again as he fondled Tomoko's breasts. He pulled her closer, his intent obvious, but Tomoko whispered something in his ear, and he smiled in happy surprise, and the two of them stood up and moved behind Tonks.

She felt Tomoko's hand touch her alongside Kat's, and then they both pulled away. Suddenly a familiar feeling pressed against her opening: Caleb.

"Caleb," she murmured. "Fuck me, sweetie."

She carefully arranged herself for him, borrowing from Kat as she so often did. She was rewarded when he sank into her, further and further, pressing into places she knew only by feel. She jammed herself into Kat, letting Caleb slide out, and then she pushed back onto Caleb. Soon the two of them got the idea and helped her, fucking and being fucked, every contraction of her pussy on Caleb's dick transmitted to her own quivering shaft. She cried out, and suddenly she was orgasming, her dick exploding with pleasure but without ejaculation. It went on and on, at least as long as her usual orgasms did, and at the end of it she was harder than she began.

"Holy hell, Tonks," whispered Tomoko. "Did that feel as good as it looked?"

"Better," mumbled Tonks, and she started to slam into Kat again.

Her roommate began to touch all of them in turn, even Kat, whose eyes kept pleading with Tonks. Harder, harder. And then finally Kat sucked in her breath and closed her eyes. Her massive breasts shook and she whimpered in pleasure as she convulsed around Tonks' dick, over and over again. Finally she opened them leaned to kiss Tonks.

"I need a little break," she murmured, sighing as Caleb slammed into Tonks and pressed all three together.

Carefully Tonks pulled away, with Caleb grunting and fucking her the whole time. It was amazing, but she wasn't going to come again very soon. And she had a wicked idea ...

"Tomoko," she said. "You feel like getting fucked?"

"Hell, yeah," she said, licking her lips before giving both of them a questioning look.

"How about you get on top of Caleb," she suggested. "I could get a break, too."

She could feel Caleb sigh in relief and anticipation. He pulled out of her, and flopped down next to Kat, breathing hard. Kat put and arm over his chest and they started to kiss.

Tomoko straddled him, giving his dick another few strokes before positioning it against her opening. Her eyes widened as she pressed slowly onto the head.

"Fuck," she said. "Fuck, I knew how big you were, but still ..."

Then she groaned and slid onto him. Caleb reached to hold her ass, and slowly she started to fuck him.

"Oof," she giggled when he bottomed out. "You're huge." She stared down, boggling at the amount of his shaft still exposed. She was no bigger inside than Tonks.

"How the fuck did you get this all inside you?" she asked Tonks with a laugh. "Space folding or something?"

"Uh, sort of," Tonks said, stroking Tomoko's back. "I stole Kat's pussy."

The other two women both started to laugh. 

"Damn," said Tomoko, sliding down on Caleb again. "Damn. What a great trick. But I don't really mind, I guess. Oof, Caleb, you feel fantastic."

Kat was starting to masturbate again, and Tonks felt as hard as she'd ever felt. She gave her shaft a few strokes and idly began spreading her own lubrication along its length. She was so wet, and Tomoko's own lubrication was already spreading along her thighs and ass cheeks. And her roommate's perfect asshole was puckering right in front of her.

Gently she moved forward, and rested the tip against Tomoko. Her roommate jerked slightly.

"Oh, fuck. Oh, hell yes, Tonks. Go for it."

Carefully she pressed, and to her surprise Tomoko relaxed and she slid the tip inside with hardly any drama. Her roommate must have a lot of experience with this.

But then Tomoko gasped, and her sphincter squeezed hard on Tonks' dick.

"It's good," Tomoko managed. "Keep going, roomie."

For some reason that excited Tonks even more. She pressed, and inch by inch her majestic cock slid in. Tomoko grunted and shifted, and suddenly Tonks realized she'd made it all the way in. For a minute her roommate lay still, her body stuffed full of the two enormous dicks. And then she began to rock her hips, helping the two of them in a rhythm. Tonks could feel the pressure from Caleb's dick, and she reached down to cup his balls.

"I'm – not much longer," mumbled Caleb, and Kat whispered encouragement into his ear.

"Oh, Merlin," Tomoko moaned. "Oh, here it comes, lovers."

Tonks suddenly wanted to come with Caleb inside her roommate. With the slightest *push*, she felt the rest of Caleb's plumbing connect inside her, and the sudden heavy warmth told her she was close.

Tomoko yelped and lost her rhythm, her body shaking between Tonks and Caleb. Caleb pistoned inside once more, and then she could feel the power of his gigantic orgasm. Tonks sighed and just ... let go.

It was like being dragged by a raging river, her body's joints loosening as her dick spasmed and blasted deep inside Tomoko's rear. She found herself leaning into Tomoko's back, kissing her feebly as the spurts continued. And then finally she opened her eyes and realized they were all done. Tomoko was stroking Caleb's face. She turned her head to smile at Tonks glassily.

"Did you come inside me?" Tomoko asked. "No, no, it's amazing. It was amazing. Oh, I've dreamed about that, but with two guys. This was – this was better than I could have imagined."

"Which guys?" Kat asked lazily, and Tomoko started to laugh. 

They all disengaged and Tonks and Tomoko stretched sideways atop the other two. 

"Could we sleep like this?" Tomoko asked. "Always? Forever? I love you all."

"Me too," said Caleb. "Thank you so much, all of you. I'll never forget this."

Tonks' breath caught, and suddenly the easy mood was shattered.

Kat started to sniffle, and for a while they just held each other.

"I – " Caleb mumbled in confusion. He looked sleepy. "I can't – I need to get back. Infirm'ry."

Everyone looked at him with alarm. Tonks tried to calm them.

"He needs his sleep. And time with his father. Let's leave it here, then. Thank you all so much."

And just like that they were cleaning and dressing and Tonks was helping Caleb back down the hall. She hoped Caleb was too exhausted to see her tears.


	26. Chapter 26

* * * Chapter 26 * * *

Tonks didn't know why she was sitting in Potions. Well, she knew why. Caleb deserved time with just his family, too. Ruella seemed to have been excused from classes, not that she'd talked to Tonks since leaving the party last night. 

She realized Snape was glaring at her, and she quickly took care of the potion that was on the brink of boiling over. He must know why she was distracted, but she didn't expect that he'd cut her any breaks because of it. Snape was predictable that way. And she couldn't help but feel an unexpected kindliness towards him. She'd misjudged him, it seemed. Everything suggested he'd quietly gone to heroic lengths to help Caleb. Knowing Snape he'd be annoyed if she even tried to mention it.

When class ended she gathered up her things and wandered off. Maybe the other students were really giving her all that space, or maybe it was just her own loneliness. Last night had been so joyful, but today all she could feel was the impending loss.

Caleb, Ruella, and their father were already there at dinner, though they didn't seem to have much appetite amongst them. Tonks felt self-conscious as she quietly devoured her food. Alex's eyes were bloodshot and he wasn't focusing on anything.

"Dad," Ruella said, breaking the silence. He didn't respond. She touched him on the shoulder and he flailed suddenly, hitting her by accident. Ruella started to cry, and her father put his head on the table. Caleb took her hand and tried to get his father's attention, but Tonks realized she could help here.

"Alex," she said softly. "Let's go take a walk."

He shook his head, but he mechanically pushed himself up and followed her out.

When they got to the garden, he gave an exhausted sigh.

"I'm drowning," he said distantly. "I can't bear it. I know I need to be there for them both, and I'm just a useless husk."

Awkwardly, she reached to give him a hug, and after a pause he gripped her tightly. He felt so thin, much less solid than his son. He swayed on his feet a little, shaking with something worse than sobs.

"Mary?" he muttered after some time, and Tonks shifted uncomfortably. But he seemed to be calming down.

"I'm sorry," he said finally, carefully pushing her away and sitting heavily on the ground. "You've been so wonderful for Caleb. And Ruella, too. I can see how she idolizes you." 

He lapsed into silence, and his eyes closed after a while. He seemed half-asleep.

She thought about rousing him, getting him back to the hospital room and his cot. But he was obviously happier out here. It was a nice out-of-the-way spot, anyway, the light of the setting sun filtering through the trees and giving everything a warm, living feeling. She pulled out her wand and began to weave her magic.

The trees bent lower towards them, their branches twining and creating a kind of roof. Moss thickened on the ground and a nearby log, and she spent some time shaping it just so. A small, clear spring emerged from the ground, the water making a little pool.

Alex opened his eyes, and his tears finally began to fall.

"I wish Mary could have met you," he mumbled as she helped him lie against the bed of moss. He was asleep by the time she conjured a blanket to drape over him.

The siblings were still there when she returned. At least Ruella seemed to have eaten something.

"I put him to bed," she said. "Out in the garden. I think he might finally get some sleep."

Caleb smiled and took her hand. She couldn't help but feel how his shook. Weaker every day. They were almost out of time.

"I'm falling apart," Ruella said. "Can we go somewhere? Just the three of us?"

By unspoken agreement they ended up at the old bathroom. Tonks took a little time to redo the magic that was failing, and to summon the ever-faithful couch from Herbology. The three of them dropped onto it, Caleb in the middle. Ruella and Tonks leaned against him, arms tangling against each other, holding desperately. As though they could protect him with their bodies.

Tonks' hand bumped Caleb, causing him to grunt. It was his dick. He was hard as a rock. She lightly stroked him and he shifted nervously. Ruella was looking down at the huge bulge.

"I …" he started nervously. "The potions, it must be. It's been doing that randomly all day."

"Does it feel good, at least?" Tonks asked. She stroked him again, a bit more obviously.

He glanced nervously at Ruella.

"Tonks, uh, maybe you shouldn't do that right now," he said.

Ruella made an exasperated little noise, and then she pushed Tonks' hand aside, replacing it with hers. Caleb jerked and moaned, squeezing his eyes closed.

"Tell me if you don't want this," she said. Caleb didn't say anything, and Ruella continued stroking him nervously.

"I've already felt it," she said. "Tonks made it for me."

Caleb opened his eyes and stared at them. Tonks hadn't told him that detail.

Ruella reached for the snap on his trousers and undid the zipper. 

"I love you," Caleb said, looking at Ruella. "I love you both."

"So do we," said Ruella. With Tonks' help she got Caleb's trousers over his hips, and then she pulled them off along with his underwear. He reached his arm out to touch his sister's cheek, and she put her hand around his dick. Then she fit her other hand beneath it. 

"I've wanted you for so long," said Ruella softly. She leaned to kiss the end of his dick, and Caleb gasped.

"And I've fantasized about you," he finally admitted. "Should we really …?"

"Yeah," said Ruella, "I think we should."

"Want me to leave you alone?" Tonks asked, touching each of them gently.

Caleb and Ruella looked at each other. "No," said Ruella. "I think I'd like you here, if that's all right."

Caleb nodded. "Me too. You could – help, if you wanted?" He directed the question at Ruella, who nodded, smiling nervously.

Ruella got up and quickly undressed. Caleb watched her hungrily, groaning when she finally stepped out of her underpants.

"You are so gorgeous," he said. "I've always thought so." He reached and slid a finger between her legs, and Ruella gasped. But Caleb was breathing hard, too, maybe a little too hard.

"Ru," said Tonks. "Maybe Caleb can lie back. Let you do the work."

Caleb nodded, frustrated, and lay back. "Can I – could I use my tongue, Ruella?"

Ruella was a lot more awkward than Tomoko had been at climbing onto his face. She looked so tiny against her brother's bulk. His massive cock bumped against her chin, and she got hold of it with one hand. She squealed lightly when Caleb's tongue touched her.

"Uh, a little less pressure than that, Caleb," she said. Then she sighed and put her mouth around his dick.

"This is amazing," said Tonks. She stood up to undress. "Hey, so is there anyone you guys want to watch get pleasure?"

Ruella looked at Tonks and shrugged, then took a break from her awkward oral explorations.

"How about you, Caleb?" Ruella asked. "Any fantasies you've been nervous about asking for?" 

She didn't say it, but it hung in the air. He was getting near his last opportunity.

Ruella gasped at something Caleb did. And then she heard a single name from him.

"Emilia," he said.

Well. It wouldn't be her choice. But she'd managed far worse than Emilia, after all. And if it would please Caleb, she could try to get into it.

Her hair lengthened to match Emilia's gorgeous shining locks. Her figure rounded slightly, and she matched Emilia's hairless slit. Her magic was flowing easily, and she matched so much more than she had that first time. The body felt good, really, when she didn't fight against it. It was only her cousin's personality that was ugly.

Ruella was staring at her, Caleb's dick briefly forgotten. Of course. Probably Ruella had never seen Emilia like this.

"That's – kind of unnerving," Ruella said.

"Well," said Tonks with Emilia's nasal voice. "Let's see what this body likes, shall we?"

She started masturbating, and quickly worked out that Emilia didn't care too much about her clit. She just wanted fingers inside her. Tonks remembered something from that brief other time she'd tried the body, and she scratched lightly across one breast with her fingernails. Something animal responded inside her.

"Tonks," Ruella said softly. "Could you fuck him like that?"

Emilia's body wanted him. She nodded, and Ruella slid off of Caleb. He stroked her tiny breasts, his hand looking immensely large against her.

Tonks climbed onto him. Somehow she knew that Emilia's body wanted him to be too big for her. Wanted it to hurt a little bit. She really shouldn't borrow Ruella for this. But maybe just a little, and some of Tomoko too …

She was getting unbelievably wet, even more than usual for her. His immense dick pressed against her entrance, and she was so used to borrowing Kat that she was shocked at how hard it was to get him inside. Caleb gasped at the feeling of her tightness.

"Is this OK?" he asked.

"Do it hard," she said. "Remember the last time? Don't worry about hurting me."

Ruella was watching, eyes wide. Tonks grunted and pressed Emilia down onto him, then lifted, then pressed again. And then she took a breath and slammed as hard as she could onto him. He whacked hard into her cervix and her vision faded slightly. But something deep inside her cried out happily. She did it again, and she felt his hand gripping at her back.

"Harder," she muttered. "Ruella, play with me. She likes it really rough. Clit, nipples, whatever."

Ruella shook her head in astonishment, but she moved closer, taking one of Emilia's nipples between her fingers.

"Harder," growled Tonks, and Ruella did her best, though of course the girl didn't have the viciousness that Emilia was looking for.

She leaned closer to Ruella, and Ruella kissed her gently. Tonks bit her gently on the lip, and Ruella got the idea, biting back a little harder and then working down to Emilia's neck.

Something big was building inside her. She could almost feel it, and it was so different from her usual pleasure, the strangeness giving a huge thrill of its own.

"Caleb," she whispered. "My ass."

He understood, bringing his hand down. She was so unbelievably wet that it had already spread all around, along his dick, dribbling back between her buttocks. At the next thrust he pushed his thumb into her asshole, and she spasmed around him. 

"Deeper," she grunted, and he pushed further, gripping one butt cheek to get leverage. She was so slippery, and something inside her was shifting dangerously.

"Oh, fuck," she said, and she contracted hard on his dick and his thumb. But it wasn't an orgasm quite. She felt warm liquid on her thighs, and then it came again, and again, and finally her whole body shuddered in something more familiar.

"Caleb," she whispered, and then her whole body went rigid, her rhythm broken by the broad, strange waves of pleasure. She dimly felt even more liquid spilling from her, as though she was peeing endlessly onto Caleb, but she couldn't find it in her to care.

Finally she relaxed a little, and she found her body had returned on its own to something more familiar. The other two were staring at her.

"Wow," said Ruella.

Tonks looked down and giggled slightly. There was sticky liquid everywhere. 

"That was fun," she said. But something twinged inside her. Back in her body now, she felt how badly she'd bruised herself. Caleb was rock-hard inside her, and obviously restraining himself from fucking her now that she'd gone still.

"Really fun," she said lightly. She groaned and slid off of him. "Want to get on, Ru? I highly recommend against starting out that way, though. Believe me, Caleb knows how to be gentle."

Ruella moved quickly, as though convinced she wouldn't have the nerve if she waited. She straddled Caleb and put her hands on his chest, rubbing him gently through his shirt. He groaned as she bumped into his dick. He looked almost comically large under her.

"OK, Caleb," she said. She carefully positioned him against her entrance. "You know better than I do. Fuck me, Caleb."

He pressed gently against her, breathing shallowly. The massive tip strained at her opening, but nothing moved. Ruella was shaking with nervousness.

Tonks slid behind Ruella, holding her.

"Just lean against me," she whispered in Ruella's ear. "He'll go as slow as he needs. Maybe you should masturbate, if you can."

Ruella nodded, resting her head back against Tonks' shoulder. One hand moved down to gently touch her clit. Tonks started to massage her ass gently with one hand.

Ruella relaxed a little more, and then gasped. Caleb's dick slipped a bit further, and then he slowly entered her.

"Holy shit," Ruella said. "Holy shit."

After a little bit he pushed further, and Ruella moaned, mostly happily. Then he was back out again, and then back in. Slow, careful, each stroke a little deeper. 

"No further," said Ruella eventually. "You're hitting something."

Ruella was taking more of his cock that Tonks had thought possible. More than Tonks had been able to. Caleb's mouth hung slack, and Tonks had to agree. It was an astonishing thing to look at.

They fucked slowly, but Caleb was obviously near the edge already. She lightly stroked his balls, and he groaned. Ruella smiled and started to urge him faster.

"Ru," he moaned. "Oh, my sweet sister –"

He exploded inside her, shuddering and trying not to push too hard. The orgasm kept going and going, the longest one Tonks had ever seen from him. Finally he stopped, eyes closed, breathing shallowly. Ruella wiped the sweat from his brow and kissed him on the lips. He muttered something incoherent. Ruella rocked gently on him, globs of semen catching in her bush.

"Caleb," she said dreamily. "Can we keep going? It feels so good, and –"

He didn't reply. Tonks looked closer. He was sweating even more now, and breathing faster.

"Ruella," she said quickly, "I think he needs a break."

Ruella nodded and got off fast, kneeling next to him.

"Caleb?" Ruella asked, stroking his cheek. He didn't move.

Fear struck Tonks, and she was suddenly in motion.

"*Levicorpus*," she uttered, and his body rose. She was already heading for the door when she remembered she was naked. Both of them were. A quick wave of her wand and they were covered with a convincing illusion of proper clothes. Anyway, she wasn't worried about Pomfrey asking questions.

She reached the door. "He'll be all right," she found herself saying. "He's just exhausted. I'll get him to the infirmary."

When his body cleared the door, she started to run. The corridors drifted past strangely. Time seemed to have stopped. Just the pounding of her feet, her burning lungs. She should have called for her broom. But it wasn't too far now.

Ruella caught her just as she neared the door, having dressed more conventionally. That girl was an unbelievable runner. They all burst in together.

The assistant took in the sight and quickly jumped to open the inner door for them, calling for Pomfrey. Tonks settled him onto his bed and collapsed in a chair. Her mind was curiously blank. Ruella was crying, pacing back and forth. Pomfrey had arrived at some point and was briskly examining him. 

Alex. Why wasn't he here? Oh. He must be sleeping still in the garden. She supposed she'd have to fetch him. But she couldn't seem to move.

Pomfrey was saying something to her. She had the sense it wasn't the first time.

"Caleb," she said, her voice sounding wrong. She didn't see Ruella. Oh, there she was, lying on her sleeping bag.

"Tonks," said Pomfrey. Her voice was warm, but Tonks wasn't fooled.

"He's not going to wake up, is he?" she said dully.

Pomfrey walked closer and put a hand on her shoulder. It sank right through the illusion of clothes to rest warmly against her skin. Pomfrey didn't seem surprised.

"Probably not," she said. "I'm so sorry, Tonks."

"OK," Tonks said. "I guess I'll go find Alex."

Pomfrey shook her head. "Gustaf already went to get him."

Tonks stared at the floor. Nothing else to do: end of the line.

"I've got to go," she said suddenly, jumping to her feet and rushing to the door. She didn't look back.

* * *

The couch still smelled like him. And Ruella. She trailed a finger through a wet patch and came up with a glob of something familiar. It still tasted the same, but it was so cold now. He'd been so alive. She supposed he could hardly have had a happier memory if it was his last.

Why couldn't she just cry? He might as well be dead already. Maybe another day or two of this lingering around shit. She hated her selfishness. Hated the world. Hated her fucking uncle and his friends. 

Something ugly bubbled up in her, emerging as a sick sort of laugh. Without even trying, she felt her face start to alter, the cruel lines forming around her mouth, her hair darkening. The way her power mixed inextricably with her pleasure. She felt the aches in her body, her soreness from the too-rough sex. But she was wet again. She put a finger inside herself, then another. There was a looseness in the air, a sense of grounded power. Utter assurance. She *pushed* in a strange way, and she felt her fingers lengthen, more and more. Beyond anything she'd tried. Beyond anything human. They bumped against her cervix, and she caressed herself, probing the painful parts, twisting and exploring and feeling the pain and pleasure and power blossom.

There was a noise at the door. That's right, she'd locked the shit out of it.

"Tonks?"

At Ruella's voice, everything went painfully clear. She yanked her hand away from herself, staring at the distorted fingers. Her heart was hammering in her chest, bile rising in her throat, and she *pushed* hard, until she finally remembered how to let her body relax, back to plain old Tonks.

She waved her wand and the door unlocked. Ruella cautiously poked her head inside, blinking slight surprise at Tonks' nakedness. Tonks waved her in.

"I – don't know if you want company," her friend said.

"I think I need it more than I realized," Tonks said. "I'm not right, Ru."

Ruella sat on the couch.

"How could you be?" she asked. "How could anyone be?"

Tonks shook her head. "That's not what I mean," she said. "I'm dangerous. To other people. To myself."

Ruella hugged her. Unquestioning trust. It was pathetic, and it was the most beautiful thing humans had managed to cling to in this fucking world. She sagged against Ruella and finally began to cry. Their kisses were desperate and inevitable.

Some time later she was pulling off Ruella's shirt. Her friend hadn't put a bra on underneath, and she gently nibbled on a nipple, then took the entire little breast in her mouth. The way Caleb had done, when they were only watching Ruella. He'd never had a chance to do that for his sister.

Ruella was sniffling, her arms around Tonks' shoulders.

"I can't stop thinking about it," Ruella said. "I've never felt anything so wonderful. And then it was over. Everything was over. It was too much for him, wasn't it? And all I can think about is how good it felt, and how horny I am now."

"I doubt the timing had much to do with anything," said Tonks. "And honestly, can you think of anything he'd have wanted better at the end?"

Ruella gently pulled Tonks' mouth away from her breast, kissing her once before hugging her tight.

"I never even got to see him totally naked," she said. "Those stupid scars. As if I cared about that kind of thing. Oh, Merlin, why am I just getting hornier? Can I at least do something for you, Tonks? Take both of our minds off things?"

Tonks shook her head. She was still so damned sore. But being with Ruella was nice. Although –

"Do you need a man?" she asked softly.

Ruella burst into tears.

"I need Caleb," she said. "But I couldn't ask you –"

"I need him too," Tonks said. She felt her features changing, her hair shortening.

Ruella stroked her face nervously. 

"Just tonight," Ruella said. "I won't be able to ask for this ever again. Just tonight."

"Finish what you guys started," agreed Tonks. Her voice was already deepening.

Ruella moistened her lips nervously and then stood up to finish undressing. Tonks felt her clit swelling, engorging beyond, until finally the heavy weight of Caleb's dick hung half-erect. She cupped her balls, then gripped the shaft. Merlin, this felt good. Her sore insides weren't doing her any favors, so she *pushed* them gently, feeling herself close and settle nearer Caleb's shape.

"Can you do all of him?" Ruella said softly. She was so beautiful, standing naked in front of her. "I know it's hard, but I want to feel all of him. If that's not asking too much."

Tonks shook her head. It wasn't too much. It was what she wanted as well. 

She felt herself growing, and she poured her energy in. That looseness was still there, and it was easier than she expected. But he was so big. Muscle, bone. Her chest flattened, and something tingled in her left arm. She couldn't feel her hand. After an instant of terror, it was back. She breathed deeply.

This was Caleb. He'd lived most of his life this way. He was beautiful, and he was powerful. She felt her arm shriveling away, hearing the startled gasp from Ruella. But then her friend kissed her on the lips. She had a faint bristle of beard. Her balls felt so heavy, so warm.

She'd managed only a superficial job on the scarring, but something in her was resisting it much more strongly than anything else. Ruella didn't seem to mind. She pushed Tonks back on the couch, into the position they'd been in before. She smelled Caleb and Ruella on the couch, and something else: Tonks. Merlin, that smelled good. She could almost feel her dick sliding inside Tonks, the way she leaned just so –

She shook her head, astonished and oddly reassured. That was all here, in this body's memories. She was carrying Caleb with her, and she always would. Ruella climbed over her, her small body hardly weighing on him.

"I love you," Tonks said in Caleb's voice, and she knew it was coming from both of them.

Ruella just nodded, wiping her eyes, and then Tonks felt an astonishing sensation as her friend's tight entrance pressed steadily onto her cock.

"Merlin, Ru," she said. Their eyes locked, and Ruella kept moving. It took immense effort not to push hard inside her. This body was so strong, and it wanted her so badly.

They started to fuck.

It was lucky they were moving so slowly. Tonks could feel how ready Caleb's body was, a tingling warmth spreading outwards from his groin until it filled his entire self. He should make sure Ruella got herself off. Carefully he reached to find her clit. How had Caleb been so dextrous with these big fat fingers? She did her best, and Ruella shuddered in pleasure.

She was already thinking of him in past tense. He might as well be gone already, she'd thought. But now she was desperate for him again, her strange facsimile only making the real Caleb seem to recede further. She tried to hold onto him, his strength, his warmth, his scars. She was so tired, and holding this form was burning through her energy quickly. But she *pushed* even harder, and finally the last bit gave.

He gasped with the sudden pain, the burning in his lungs. Ruella looked up, but he managed to pass it off as a gasp of pleasure. Ruella was so close. If she could just hold onto Caleb a little longer, enough to give her sister the release she needed –

The scars were throbbing. They were alien, yet part of Caleb, something he'd accepted long ago. He gasped air in his good lung, and felt his body rushing towards release, despite all the pain. Ruella was crying and moaning, her pussy squeezing him almost painfully tight. And underneath it all the Curse throbbed, malevolent, constant, part of him so long that most days he didn't even stop to think what a disgusting, horrible thing it was. He could almost see it, the way its strands spiraled into him, beyond human vision, far subtler than Tonks ever could have guessed. Almost beautiful.

Ruella cried out his name, and then she leaned forward onto him, crying into his shoulder as her body crested to a shattering climax. Caleb was dizzy with hunger, confused, and yet the feel of his sister coming was more than enough to send him over the edge.

"Ruella," he sighed, and the warm liquid pulsed out of him, filling his sister. It was over far too soon, and he was crying with her, exhausted, wishing it could have gone on longer, but he was utterly spent –

Tonks sobbed into her friend's arms, her breasts mashing into Ruella's slim chest, painfully hard, but she didn't care. This body was so alive, so free of pain, so full of the future. She would go on, and Ruella would go on, and there was nothing fair about it. So she cried.

They were kissing, and there was nothing really sexual about it any more. Just two friends comforting each other as best as they could. But something nagged at Tonks, something vitally important she'd missed. She was so damned hungry. With an effort she called some snacks from her room. Some landed on the floor and some on Ruella, causing her friend to giggle as she collected a biscuit off her back. When she brought it to Tonks' lips, it was its own kind of tenderness.

For a few minutes Tonks just ate. She'd never been so hungry before, and she had to Summon another round of food. Finally she slowed.

"Thank you, Tonks," said Ruella. "I needed that so much."

"Me too," said Tonks. "I really was him there for a little." She frowned, then continued slowly. "More than I've ever been inside anyone. Something happened. I need to think for a minute."

It was the Curse. She'd been delirious, but she'd felt it, in a way she never had from the outside. Something subtle. The colors?

No. Her pulse started to race. The Curse wasn't confined to his body. Those strange, glowing strands. She concentrated, her mind aching. Even the memory was slippery.

The strands had gone all the way to the wall. Beyond, most likely. 

"Ru," she said, trying to sort out her thoughts, trying not to build her hopes. "We have to get Dumbledore. I learned something about the Curse while I was inside him."

Ruella stared at her in astonishment, and then the terrible expression of hope grew on her face.

* * *

They weren't subtle. Tonks blasted right through the evening wards on the faculty wing and pounded on Dumbledore's office door. As she'd hoped, he was inside.

His face fell immediately when he saw them, and she could see him preparing an awkward effort to console.

"There's no time," she said. "The Curse has an external component. Did you know that? It's so subtle I never sensed it. But I changed myself, so far that I copied everything, even the Curse. I think. I didn't know I could do that. There are these strands that extend out from his body. Probably out of the school entirely."

Dumbledore blinked, and his expression went cold and distant: his thinking, calculating face. Right now that was the most reassuring thing Tonks could have hoped for.

He lifted his wand and made a gesture too fast for her to see.

"I've called Snape," he said. "Meet me in the infirmary."

Somehow he was down the hall before they could follow. Ruella easily outpaced her as they ran, but Dumbledore was out of sight. Some kind of time magic, or maybe he was secretly a world-class sprinter. She was going to go with magic.

When they arrived Dumbledore was stalking around Caleb, casting spells rapid-fire, shaking his head. Pomfrey glared at him from the side, and Alex seemed to be trying to shake off confused sleepiness.

"What do you think you're doing to my patient, Headmaster?" Pomfrey asked carefully. Dumbledore ignored her.

Her expression darkened and she reached for her own wand. Tonks had no idea what Pomfrey was preparing to do, and she didn't want to find out.

"I realized something about the Curse," she said quickly. "I was able to see some of it. Using my, ah, abilities."

"How does that help?" asked Alex unexpectedly. "I can see it, of course. I assumed you all could, with some effort."

"What?" Pomfrey asked. Even Dumbledore looked at him.

"It's this horrible glowing, pulsing mess," he said. "Like a bunch of spirals inside spirals."

"You can see that?" asked Tonks. "And the way those strands extend right out of him? Can you see where they go?"

"Strands?" he asked, confused. "No, I can't see anything like that. It's all coiled up inside him."

He stared for a while, then shook his head again.

Snape arrived just then, and Dumbledore gave him a quick briefing. Snape shook his head in disbelief. 

"She's fooling herself," he said bluntly. "We would have seen it. Nymphadora may be an excellent student, but she has no special insights in this matter. There is nothing to find."

Dumbledore glanced at her. It was her secret. And right now she didn't give a fuck if she had to tell the whole world about it.

"But I do have a skill," she said. Carefully she adjusted her hair and face to match Pomfrey's exactly, then let everything return.

Alex gasped, though Snape only raised his eyebrows. "A Metamorphmagus," he said slowly. For a moment, she thought she saw a flash of envy. Then Snape shook his head. 

"Is someone going to explain the relevance?"

"I am still new at my abilities," Tonks said nervously. "This evening I believe I changed myself more fully than I have before, and I believe I copied the Curse as well. From inside it was much easier to see."

"Caleb never mentioned anything like that," argued Snape.

"But she is an unusually talented, sensitive witch," said Dumbledore. 

"Unlike Caleb," said Alex bitterly. He sat down heavily. "Fuck. Sorry."

"Maybe it's not that," said Ruella. 

Snape only now seemed to notice her, and she shrank under his glare, but she continued nonetheless.

"What if it was some interaction with her magic that showed it more clearly? Or maybe because it was effectively a new Curse? Stronger, in a way?"

Snape looked at her a while without comment. Dumbledore broke in.

"She has a point, Severus. You know how sly some of these Curses are about hiding themselves. Ruella, it's not likely that the Curse was stronger for being new. Rather, it might have been weaker, and paradoxically easier to see, just for a few moments."

"I'll do it again," said Tonks suddenly. "I'll change, and we can all look for ourselves. I'll do it over and over again if that's what it takes."

Pomfrey moved towards her. "I can't allow that," she said. "You may not realize it, but what you did was extremely dangerous. If I'd known it was possible I'd have told you not to even try to reproduce magic like that."

"It's not your decision, is it?" Tonks asked Pomfrey. "I'm an adult. This is my risk to take."

Pomfrey shook her head angrily, but she didn't say anything.

Dumbledore nodded. "It is your risk. And Pomfrey is also entirely correct about the danger. I have some hopes, but it is quite possible it would all be for naught."

"So let's hope, then," said Tonks.

"I will stop you at any point if I see a true danger to your life," said Pomfrey. "There is no bargaining on this."

Tonks nodded. "I came through fine before," she said. "I'll be fine."

Pomfrey snorted and shook her head, and then sighed and looked at the others.

"Leave the foolish, brave girl what privacy you can," she said quietly.

"I don't need to be here," said Alex, getting up.

"Yes you do," said Tonks. "You can see better than any of us, I think."

Ruella tapped her on the shoulder, and suddenly Tonks had a plate piled with roast beef and potatoes and everything else. She began to stuff handfuls in her mouth even before she realized Ruella was offering her a fork.

Snape had an expression of sneering astonishment. Dumbledore seemed trying to avoid laughing.

"Fuck you all," said Ruella. "This is incredibly exhausting magic for her."

Even Snape looked a touch rebuked.

Tonks took a quick bathroom break, and then looked in the mirror. Privacy. Of course. She wasn't going to fit in her clothes. 

She Summoned a cloak of Caleb's. She held it to her nose, but it was just old wool. Probably hanging in his wardrobe for a long time. She left the rest of her clothes in the bathroom and tried not to trip on the long cloak as she emerged.

Tonks stood in the center of the room, the others fading from her notice. Just her and her magic. She closed her eyes, breathed a few times, felt the soft threads of change she was already maintaining. And then she *pushed*.

It was the same feeling as last time, but much faster. She heard a few small sounds of surprise from the others. Muscles, solidity, and the arm slowly shriveling. Her cock was painfully erect, her body vibrating with distracting pleasure. She hoped it didn't show under the robe. 

She'd pause just before the last moment. Already she heard Snape and Dumbledore muttering spells in preparation.

She opened her eyes and had a moment of vertigo. She'd gained six inches of height since she'd closed them. She towered over Ruella now.

"All right," she said in Caleb's deep voice. Alex couldn't look at her, the poor man. "I did most of the change. Now I'm going to finish it."

She kept her eyes open, extending every bit of her senses. And then she *pushed* one last time, feeling her body's revulsion at the Curse, fighting and breaking through once again.

Alex muttered an obscenity as she coughed and bent over with the shocking pain.

The Curse was alive. And Dumbledore was right: it was crafty. It recognized her now, and it was stronger this time, coiled up tighter inside her. She heard the urgency in Dumbledore's castings, Pomfrey's sharp voice, Snape's clipped reply. And she saw the threads, twisting away at the edge of her vision, trying to hide in the shadows.

"I see it," Alex said, pointing. Dumbledore scowled and followed Alex's finger, and then his spell caught, holding the threads still and bright.

"Severus," he shouted.

She felt Snape's spell grasp on, a dark thing of its own, scurrying away from her along the threads. Dumbledore's spell failed and the strands twisted horribly into the corners of her vision.

"STOP," shouted Pomfrey, rushing to her side. Tonks felt a malicious glee in the Curse as she pushed at it feebly.

"Let go," said Pomfrey urgently. "Let go of your magic. The Curse will go with it."

It was easier said than done. But then her hair changed, and her fingers, and it all began to melt away. Pomfrey caught her before she collapsed. The Curse was gone.

"Severus? Did you catch it?" Dumbledore asked. Alex and Ruella moved to her side while the professors had a quiet muttered conversation.

"I'm OK," she said shakily. "I hope I don't have to do that again."

"You won't," said Snape. "I found it." He sounded more tired than triumphant.

"Well?" Alex asked.

Snape looked at Dumbledore. The Headmaster had his thinking face on again, and with some discomfort Tonks realized his mind had already moved well past the day's events. Even Caleb's life was just another item in the balance.

"Go ahead," said Dumbledore. "They should know this much."

"It is some object inside Bellatrix Lestrange's vault," he said. "I understand you had surmised as much about the origins of the Curse. Unfortunately that leaves it completely out of reach."

"But there is good news," interrupted Dumbledore. "The worsening of Caleb's condition has been due to a link with this object. I believe if we can shield him from it, the damage will not progress."

"The Null Chamber at Mungo's," Pomfrey said slowly.

"Precisely," said Dumbledore. "The Null Chamber is not a place they would normally keep a patient for longer than the time needed for a delicate operation. Caleb will soon slip into a kind of coma. But its walls are designed to prevent even the most subtle and powerful magic from entering. I expect it will be proof against the renewing power of this Curse. Given a chance to fight it, his body may even repair a portion of the damage."

"But what help is that, then? He can't live his life in there, can he?" asked Alex. "We have to do something about the artifact."

Dumbledore and Snape exchanged a glance.

"I believe the object in question is immensely dangerous," said Dumbledore. "And I have suspicions that a great part of its strength comes from Voldemort himself."

Ruella gasped, and Tonks held her hand.

Snape chuckled, a nasty sound at any time.

"So all we have to do is defeat the Dark Lord once and for all," he said.

"Precisely," said Dumbledore. And Tonks realized that both of the men were deadly serious.


	27. Chapter 27

* * * Chapter 27 * * *

"Stop hogging the popcorn," Tomoko grumbled.

Tonks reluctantly passed over the bowl. It was two-thirds gone, and they hadn't even started the movie.

"You know I get hungry," she said defensively.

"You could just relax with those boobs. And the other stuff I can't see. Oh, don't play all innocent witch with me, Tonks."

Tonks stuck out her tongue. "Not my fault. You're the one who smells of sex."

"What, would you rather I got in my personal time *after* you got in? Now that you mention it, I might have been a little rushed." Tomoko casually pulled her nightshirt off, then lay back ostentatiously fanning her bare bosom as Tonks rolled her eyes.

There was a knock at the door. 

"C'mon in," called Tonks.

Kat took in the scene and smiled uncertainly.

"Am I interrupting something?"

"No, Tomoko's just being her usual," said Tonks, tousling her roommate's hair and patting the empty space on the bed. Kat happily squeezed in with the two of them.

"What is it this week?"

"I forgot to check the listings," said Tonks. "A surprise, I guess."

She lifted her wand and performed the now-familiar series of charms. Once again she wished she understood why it was so easy to mirror the films from a particular art theater in Guildford. But they'd enjoyed the previous three movies. 

The wall opposite them brightened with a confusing display of disjointed scenes. Previews, that's what they were called. 

There was another sharp knock on the door. Tonks and Kat quickly glanced at Tomoko.

"Enter, O stranger," Tomoko called, making no effort to cover up.

Ruella poked her head in the room, and Tonks' heart rose. Finally, maybe she was coming around a little. But her friend's expression was the flat disinterest Tonks was growing to hate.

"You're just in time," Tonks said brightly. "Movie hasn't started yet."

"Thank you, but I'm busy," said Ruella. "I just wanted to remind you we moved practice back to ten tomorrow."

"Of course," said Tonks. "Ru, are you sure you -"

But Ruella had already gone.

Tonks felt Kat's solid arm around her shoulders.

"It can't be easy, the not knowing."

"Of course it's not easy!" Tonks snapped. "But he's alive, and there's hope. I just wish she'd talk to me."

"She'll find her own way," said Tomoko, stroking Tonks' neck, then casually running a finger down the side her roommate's torso. A distracting sexual thrill surged through Tonks. 

Kat smiled and kissed Tonks on the cheek, and the three of them settled in to watch the movie. It had been a month, and they hadn't talked about that night together. Their own unspoken reunion, with a big Caleb-shaped hole.

But every week was a little easier, and Tonks didn't really know why she kept holding back. Maybe tonight would be the night. Or maybe they'd just sit companionably with their memories. Tonks sighed and leaned her head onto Kat's bosom. The movie had started: a subtitled French comedy. She felt her tears dampen Kat's shirt, and who cared if Kat sniffled as well and gripped Tonks a little too tight? Next week would be a little easier again.


	28. Chapter 28

* * * Chapter 28 * * *

"You can't," said Tonks. "You're throwing your future away, Ru."

"What future?" Ruella asked, pacing across Tonks' room. "You're getting by, but I'm not. I'm so glad you're finding things to enjoy, but you must realize I can't concentrate. All I can think of is Caleb frozen in that chamber. And my father, feeling as powerless as ever. He can't go on like this forever, Tonks, and neither can I."

"You could be a great Auror," Tonks said. "You could fight for Caleb. For us all."

"I will," she said. "Believe me, I will. Sooner and more effectively than I ever could as an Auror."

Tonks shivered. Last weekend Ruella had beat Tonks sparring for the first time, though it had been a bit of a fluke. Every week her friend was quieter, more controlled. And harder.

Tonks stared at the girl she'd thought she knew. Ruella wouldn't meet her eyes.

"Don't lose yourself," Tonks finally said. 

Ruella looked up. For a minute Tonks saw the angry, terrified, desperately lonely girl she knew. But the moment passed and Ruella turned to leave.

"Wait," said Tonks. "You're forgetting your pack."

Tonks pointed at the closet, where she'd stowed the pack she'd used in America. 

Ruella's mouth opened in astonishment.

"You might want to check the bottom couple drawers of the food storage," Tonks said. "I don't think I did a great job of cleaning them."

Suddenly Ruella was holding her tight. Something relaxed inside Tonks.

"Thank you so much, Tonks," she said. "I couldn't have produced anything half so fine."

She collected the pack and then looked at Tonks.

"I won't lose myself," she said. "I'll just ask myself what Tonks would do. And then I'll do that. Unless it's fucking stupid."

Tonks started to laugh, and Ruella smiled a bit, the first genuine smile Tonks remembered in a long time.

"Take care of yourself," said Tonks.

"You too," said Ruella. "And don't sit around feeling sorry for yourself. Keep your heart open. You know Caleb would've wanted that."

"And what would he have wanted for you?" Tonks asked.

Ruella shook her head uncomfortably and left the question hanging. Tonks felt a chasm opening as she watched her friend walk out.

It was the last time she spoke to Ruella.

* * *

_________ Seven years later ____________

It was so horribly quiet. That was what she didn't understand. War should be noisy, a thunderstorm of shouts and explosions. It shouldn't be a silent school strewn with bodies.

She'd lost track of the duels she'd fought, the hateful faces blurring in her memory. If she kept fighting she might not have to think. Anything but this silence.

She relaxed when she heard another spell ricochet in the distance. It meant the fighting was still going. It meant Tonks could make a difference here. She had to hold onto that, and not the immense thing pressing against the edges of her consciousness. 

At least she hadn't killed anyone. Although there was that idiot she'd caught with a reversing hex and a lightning bolt. She hadn't seen where he'd landed.

She turned the corner and stopped suddenly at the sight of two unconscious wizards. They were neatly bound in an all-too-familiar fashion.

Over the years they'd gotten anonymous tips, and it was always the same: a fugitive wizard tied up with Ruella's unbreakable red rope. The Aurors had learned to look the other way because of the hunter's success and because she was scrupulous about avoiding dark magic. Even after she'd finally caught Kadressa, Ruella hadn't stopped her bounty hunting. After all, her brother was still in the Null Chamber.

Of course Ruella was here. Where else would she be but in the fight? And the thought was another thing to hold onto, another reason to keep pushing forward towards the faint noises ahead, and away from the immense thing she couldn't think about.

She rounded a corner and half-tripped on a dead witch. 

Her breath caught, and she hated how relieved she was that it wasn't Ruella. Just another casualty of war. But this witch had a horrible expression of pain on her face.

There were two other dead wizards in the corridor, and both of them had been tortured. Ahead, she heard a faint voice, a slight laugh, and the blinding fury nearly overwhelmed her. But she mastered it as always. Tonks wasn't her aunt. Still, this time she had nothing to lose. She brushed brown strands of hair out of her face and realized she'd lost even her oldest ability. Plain old Tonks, here at the end of the world.

Teddy. No, she had Teddy. She was fighting for him, and for her mother, and everyone else. She had to hold to the living, and those vague outlines of a future after this horror.

She moved stealthily, but Bellatrix saw her the minute she entered the room. She should have thought of some disguise. She should have walked away.

Her aunt was terrible and magnificent. She was a spider at the center of her web of power, the very air vibrating with it. The classroom was littered with the blood and bodies of whoever had sought refuge here, and Bellatrix looked happier than Tonks could remember. It smelled like a slaughterhouse. The wizard Bellatrix was torturing had been dead for a while, but her aunt didn't seem to mind.

Across the room, Ruella was slumped unconscious against an overturned table. Not dead yet. She looked older, of course, and somehow smaller than Tonks remembered. Behind the table, a small boy crouched in terror. Everyone else in this room was horribly dead. Focus on the living.

"Nymphadora!" Bellatrix exclaimed, a ghastly grin on her face. "I was wondering where I'd find you. How kind to save me the bother. So, I hear you're in the market for a new husband?"

It had been Dolohov's work on Remus, not Bellatrix's. Tonks breathed once and carefully set the matter aside. The living. Bellatrix seemed to have already forgotten about the dead wizard at her feet, and that was good sign.

Tonks raised her wand to a standard dueling position as Bellatrix prattled on. At the same time she silently began the spells of concealment, the spells for the eye to skip over. Spells to enhance the self-centered focus of a megalomaniac. Tonks had spent a lifetime thinking about her aunt, about how to fight her and how not to fight her. She'd been terrified the previous two times, but Bellatrix wasn't infallible. There was an odd sense of peace this time, verging on happiness. That didn't seem right. But nothing was right any more. She layered spell upon spell, dense enough to persist. 

Even Tonks had difficulty seeing Ruella now, or the poor boy under the table. Whatever happened next, those two had a fair chance of escaping. She hoped Ruella didn't wake until the battle was over.

Bellatrix had been taunting her for a while now, and seemed to be growing frustrated by her lack of response.

"Sorry, Auntie," she said sweetly. "I think I nodded off in there a little."

Bellatrix's expression darkened.

"So, Nymphadora. I suppose you want this to be a quick end. Too bad I'm the one who decides that."

The first blast was anything but subtle, and though Tonks had been completely prepared it still nearly immobilized her. She moved, countercast, and the battle began.

"Ah, Nymphadora," her aunt cried after several exchanges. "You always were a clever one. Today has been such a disappointment until now."

Back and forth. Tonks thought ahead, fought with everything she was trained for, and Bellatrix shrugged it off on instinct alone. Cast, dodge, retreat, shield.

She had hoped to lure Bellatrix from the chamber, but as the minutes stretched Tonks began to tire, evading left and right while Bellatrix lazily stood her ground, shield charms glowing almost painfully as Tonks spent power against them. Every time Tonks edged towards the door, Bellatrix forced her back. Her aunt was toying with her.

She couldn't win, not this way. Ruella had failed after all, and Tonks knew of the prodigious combat abilities her old friend had developed. Tonks was out of practice after childbirth, and Bellatrix was simply too strong. 

She could almost see the power roiling within her aunt, the power Tonks had never let herself reach for. It was too familiar, like a dance they'd played out through a hundred nightmares. And surely this one time she could open herself to the vast pit. Dead or damned, what matter? Bellatrix needed to be stopped. Revenge and hatred were never the strongest motivators. But her husband was dead.

She tried to scream, but she was out of breath. She reached, and reached, and finally the dam opened.

Bellatrix's eyes widened, her smile vanishing as Tonks shrugged off a powerful curse. This was what she'd always had inside her. It was what made Bellatrix strong, and it was fitting that it should be her aunt's ending.

The power wasn't suited to her ordinary dueling techniques. It was a blunt tool, made for hurting, and she battered Bellatrix with it. If she could just *feel* something, some way to focus the immense hatred that was waiting to spill out in all its black glory. The key to unlock a Killing curse. Whatever was left of her might not be Tonks, but that was a price she could pay.

Bellatrix grunted and dodged, starting to breathe hard. But Tonks couldn't finish it. She reached the bottom of her power and found – nothing. 

She thought about Remus, and all she could summon was the stupid way he waggled his ears at her when he'd changed. A gesture of complete harmlessness from such a formidable shape. And then she understood: there wasn't any great well of hatred. Probably there never had been. She'd worried, she'd fretted, and life had come along. A good life, really. She'd loved and laughed. Been loved. She felt her tears finally begin to flow.

Her opponent roared in triumph as her attacks weakened, but of course Bellatrix didn't understand. How could she? Tonks closed her defenses. She dodged, she cried, she listened, she felt, and she began to weave a spell.

Bellatrix's defenses were solid, but there was a little weak spot that opened each time she cast a powerful attack spell. Not enough to matter for an ordinary fight. Not something Tonks could smash through, now that she understood her limits. But if it was pried open just enough, then perhaps someone else could finish the job.

It was the old Curse that provided her the key to the spell's construction: the way it slipped away from view, curling upon itself, burrowing and strengthening, eating from within. The pieces slowly locked into place, awaiting only the right moment, when Bellatrix overextended. Tonks poured everything she had into the fight, and Bellatrix was past toying with her now. 

At least her death would come quickly.

She felt her energy failing, and a ball of blue lightning ripped the last of her wards away. Tonks staggered back and raised her wand in a powerful attack gesture. She saw the sudden fear in Bellatrix's eyes, and she had a moment of clarity: it had always been fear mixing with the hatred. Bellatrix never seemed afraid because underneath it she was always afraid. In that instant, Tonks pitied her.

She felt the spell leave Bellatrix's wand, and she released her own silently.

"AVADA KEDAV-"

It was softer than a kiss.


	29. Epilogue

__________________________ Epilogue ____________________

Ruella gripped her father's hand. No one knew how long it would take her brother to wake, though they'd been optimistic. She was sure she'd seen him twitch a minute ago.

Caleb's eyes opened, and he looked confused. He closed them, and opened them again.

"Dad?" he asked, his voice cracking. "Ru? Where am I? What – happened to you?"

"We got older," Alex said, running a hand through his graying hair. Father and daughter stepped closer, and then they were all hugging desperately.

"Seven years," Alex mumbled, kissing his son's hair. He straightened, grimacing at the now-familiar back pain. "I wasn't sure I could make it. But hope's a funny thing, you know. It turns out it's a lot better to live with than the alternative."

"Seven years," Caleb repeated dully. He looked at Ruella, and something flared there. 

She felt herself flush. Of course: that had been last night for him. It seemed a dream now, one more thing she'd put behind herself. Though of course she hadn't, not really. She smiled uncertainly, and it felt almost familiar.

But there was something else in his eyes, and she knew it couldn't wait.

"Tonks died," she said, struggling with her tears. But that was the other Ruella. She could cry now.

"Bellatrix," he said heavily, and Ruella nodded unhappily. 

The vision had burned into him the first time he'd seen it all those years ago: Bellatrix at the apex of her power, in a room full of bodies. Ruella crumpled and dead. Nothing he'd done had ever changed it. But he'd never been able to see Tonks' future beyond a few minutes.

"She saved me," Ruella choked out. "And who knows how many others she saved over the years. She had a good life, Caleb. She has a little boy."

Caleb took a deep breath and started to cry as well. She hugged him and stroked his hair. It hadn't grown while he was in the Chamber, although the doctors said he'd been aging slowly. What a strange place.

She found herself trying to explain everything that had happened. It was too much. She didn't want him to know what she'd been doing all this time, but she'd have to tell him sometime. And she'd kept true. She'd never entirely lost herself, though at times it seemed she'd lost everything else.

But Ruella could see something else was distracting him.

"What is it, Caleb? You feel all right?"

"It's completely gone," he said. He glanced nervously at their father. "My – senses. Am I on some new potion?"

She shook her head in confusion.

"No, son," said Alex. "It's gone. I can see that it's truly gone. I know how important it was for you, but I admit I'm a little relieved. Those powers brought you so much sorrow."

Caleb took a breath and held it. Then another. And then he looked at Ruella with wonder.

"I don't know what's going to happen," he said. "I have no idea what to do next."

Ruella took his hand, and he squeezed it tight. She felt an old thrill, the kind of thrill she'd thought she was done with. Maybe that wouldn't work out. But he'd always be her brother. They had time now.

"When you're feeling better," she said. "There's an old place we should visit. Memories that belong to us all. It's time we were a family again."


End file.
